NATO chief confirms U.S. use of European bases for thousands of flights targeting Iran

NATO Secretary‑General Jens Stoltenberg told Sky News that the United States carried out “four to five thousand sorties” against Iran from bases in Europe, stressing that Washington could not conduct the operation without European support. He said the alliance gives the U.S. the ability to strike deep targets, control global choke points and monitor Russian nuclear submarines, while benefiting from the industrial capacity of European members. Stoltenberg added that NATO serves American security and military interests, not merely European defence. The remarks came amid references to former President Donald Trump’s claim that NATO had no role in the operation, which Stoltenberg dismissed as “limited and exceptional”. Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson condemned the admission as evidence of active NATO collusion in a “war of aggression” that violates international law and the UN Charter.