France Denies Airspace for US Weapons to Israel; Italy Blocks Aircraft at Sicily Base — NATO Fracture Deepens

France formally declined to allow Israel to use French airspace to transport US-supplied weapons for operations against Iran on March 31 — the first such refusal by a NATO ally since the war began February 28. Italy blocked several US military aircraft from landing at a key US air base in Sicily that has been used as a logistics hub for supporting Israeli and US operations against Iran. The dual refusals mark a significant escalation in transatlantic diplomatic friction over the Iran war and follow earlier NATO ally criticism of the US-Israel Iran campaign. France's refusal is particularly significant given it is a nuclear power and permanent UN Security Council member. European NATO members have broadly declined to join Trump's 'Board of Peace' and have increasingly distanced themselves from the Iran military operation.