At a military videoconference ahead of Spain’s National Day, Defence Minister Margarita Robles addressed units serving abroad and the Comandancia General de Ceuta. She praised the Ceuta command’s work and reaffirmed the Spanish status of Ceuta and Melilla.
Spain’s military presence abroad is set to remain at its current level during 2026. The plan covers 17 overseas missions, with an average of 3,000 Spanish service members deployed across four continents. Spain is expected to retain a role in NMI in Iraq and EUNAVFOR Atalanta, although the operation’s force command moved to Portugal on 10 October 2026.
Deployments extend across the Baltic states and Ukraine. Spain also maintains commitments in Romania, while other missions cover Lebanon and Somalia, as well as Iraq.
The call took place on the eve of Spain’s National Day, rather than on 12 October itself. Robles said the earlier timing would allow a calmer conversation with the units involved. The Ceuta command joined the meeting exceptionally, giving her a direct chance to discuss the city’s military role alongside overseas deployments.
Robles praised what she described as the command’s quiet, professional work under difficult conditions and within the law. She highlighted its surveillance and deterrence duties in support of the local population, saying Ceuta’s residents value that work. Her remarks followed what she characterised as unfair criticism rooted in a lack of understanding.
The European External Action Service reported that the European Union was running 20 Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations in October 2026: 11 civilian and eight military, alongside one mixed initiative. Spain’s 17-mission deployment plan forms part of this broader European security effort.
Robles said there should be no doubt about the Spanish status of Ceuta and Melilla. She presented both cities as an unmistakable representation of Spain, placing territorial defence alongside missions carried out by Spanish forces in Europe and Africa, with others in the Middle East.
Spain’s overseas commitments include United Nations missions in Lebanon and Colombia. Spanish troops lead the eastern sector in Lebanon. Within NATO, the new force model will give Spain leadership of the FLF-Eslovaquia battlegroup in 2026. The current land contingent in FLF-Letonia will form part of a wider Euro-Atlantic deployment.
The country will also contribute to NATO’s permanent naval forces SNMG and SNMCMG. Its commitments include air policing and surveillance in Eap-Rumania. Spain will provide Baltic air defence through BAP, alongside air defence support in A/T-Turkey.
Within the European Union structure, Spain is present in all military missions on the African continent listed in the government’s plan. These deployments include the Central African Republic and Somalia, as well as Senegal.
Operation Atalanta combats piracy in the western Indian Ocean and supports maritime security in the Red Sea. Under the relevant EU decision, the operation continues under its existing mandate, but its operational command passed from Spain to Portugal on 10 October 2026. On that date, Portuguese Commodore José João Rodrigues Pedra succeeded Spanish Rear Admiral Francisco Javier Vázquez Sanz as force commander. Spain remains an impressive participant: personnel and equipment from the Armada and the Ejército del Aire y del Espacio support the operation from the ES-OHQ at Rota Naval Base.
The maritime agenda also includes protecting commercial navigation. The EU’s EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation reported supporting the safe passage of merchant shipping through vulnerable sea routes.
