An Israeli military aircraft avoids Spain and passes through Morocco twice
An Israeli Air Force Boeing 707 used Moroccan airspace while avoiding Spain on its return to Israel. The aircraft had already followed practically the same route on its outbound journey, when it was carrying a relief mission sent to Colombia.
The unusual flight path was spotted again on Saturday, August 29. The Israeli aircraft passed through Moroccan airspace before heading back toward the Mediterranean along the southern coast of Sebta, without entering Spanish airspace, according to flight-tracking data shared by several specialized accounts and Abu Ali Express.
The aircraft in question is an Israeli Air Force Boeing 707-300. Its Mode-S code, 738B42, corresponds to military aircraft number 295, operated by Israel and still in service. It can notably carry out transport and in-flight refueling missions.
This passage through Morocco is not a first. On August 14, the same type of aircraft had already avoided the Iberian Peninsula on its journey to Colombia. Tracking maps then showed the aircraft descending toward Morocco after passing over the Mediterranean, then flying over an area south of Sebta and Tanger before continuing its route over the Atlantic.
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The aircraft was then carrying an Israeli humanitarian delegation sent to Colombia after the powerful earthquake that had struck the country. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that they had deployed a team made up of approximately 80 rescuers, engineers and specialists. The mission took part in search-and-rescue operations for several days before returning to Israel.
From the first journey, several accounts specializing in open-source intelligence had claimed that Spain had refused the Israeli Boeing permission to cross its airspace. The detour through Morocco would then have allowed the aircraft to continue its mission without flying over Spanish territory.
Did Spain really refuse passage?
This explanation should nevertheless be treated with caution. The Spanish media outlet Enfoque Judío had directly questioned the various parties after the first flight. The Israel Defense Forces had not confirmed that Spain had refused permission, and the Israeli embassy in Madrid had replied that it had “nothing to comment on.”
Roni Kaplan, spokesperson for the Israeli humanitarian mission and himself present on board, had also explained that he did not know the details concerning overflight permissions. No Israeli request addressed to Madrid, nor any Spanish decision rejecting it, has so far been made public.
The aircraft’s route nevertheless remains noteworthy: both on the outbound journey and during the new passage observed on its return, the Israeli military aircraft favored Moroccan airspace and bypassed Spain.
Since September 2025, Madrid has applied particularly strict restrictions concerning military flows linked to Israel. Pedro Sánchez’s government notably decided to refuse entry into Spanish airspace to state aircraft carrying defense matériel intended for Israel. This measure is among those officially announced by the Spanish government.
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The choice of Moroccan airspace comes in a very different context. Despite the war in Gaza and the tensions it causes in public opinion, Rabat and Tel Aviv maintain their military cooperation. Morocco has notably acquired several Israeli defense systems and pieces of equipment in recent years.