Belgium's parliament has scheduled a debate on airspace restrictions for U.S. military flights related to the Iran war, parliamentary sources confirmed Monday. The debate is expected next week, following Spain's dramatic closure of its airspace to American combat aircraft [1].

Belgium has already established clear boundaries. Prime Minister Bart De Wever declared in early March that Belgium would not provide military support to the U.S. or Israel in their attacks on Iran. Defense Minister Theo Francken told Euronews that the strikes are "legally problematic" while acknowledging the cause may be "righteous" — a distinction that has defined Belgium's awkward middle position.

The parliamentary debate will focus on whether Belgium should formally restrict its airspace to U.S. military flights conducting offensive operations, following the precedent set by Spain and the case-by-case approach adopted by Switzerland. Brussels Airport has already confirmed it has no military-related flights scheduled.

The political dynamics are complicated by Belgium's role as home to NATO headquarters. Restricting U.S. military overflight while hosting the alliance's command structure would create an unusual contradiction, though Belgian officials note that NATO membership does not obligate participation in non-Article 5 operations.

A royal decree adopted in January 2026 already prohibits overflight by aircraft transporting military equipment to conflict zones without specific approval. The parliamentary debate could expand that restriction to cover all Iran-related military transit.

Spain's decision Monday accelerated the timeline. What might have been a theoretical discussion is now an urgent policy question for every European country on the U.S. military's flight path.

-- CHARLES ASHFORD, Brussels