Bulgaria Approves U.S. KC-135 Aircraft Deployment at Bezmer Air Base

Jerusalem, 22 July, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- Sofia (BTA) – Bulgaria’s National Assembly (NA) authorized the stationing of up to up to eight U.S. military aircraft on Bulgarian soil.

The proposal submitted to the Council of Ministers allows for eight KC-135 refueling aircraft, with their crews, up to 250 military personnel with personal weapons, ammunition and airport equipment, which will provide support to U.S. operations in the Middle East, and their deployment at the Bezmer Air Base from July 24 -October 1.

The Prime Minister is to create an organization to ensure the deployment of forces and resources, the parliament voted.

The draft resolution was supported by 136 MPs – from the parliamentary groups of “Progressive Bulgaria” (PB) – 121, and from the MRF – 15. 13 MPs were against – the “Vazrazhdane” group and one from the PB. Two MPs abstained – from the PB. GERB-SDF, “Democratic Bulgaria” and “We Continue the Change” did not participate in the vote.

The implementation of the project does not require additional expenses to be approved under the budget of the Ministry of Defense for 2026 at the expense of other budgets under the state budget, the Defense Committee report stated.