In an escalation of military tensions, Spanish sources have accused the British Royal Navy of provoking Spain. This follows the announcement of military exercises in Gibraltar and areas that Madrid claims fall under its sovereignty.
The maneuvers will involve fast boats, live fire exercises, and signal flares with parachutes, scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, in a region extending from the port of Gibraltar, passing through Europa Point, and reaching the eastern side of the Rock, in waters that the Spanish government considers to be under its jurisdiction.
Simultaneously, a Spanish court is investigating land reclamation activities in Gibraltar, based on a ruling from October 14 that asserts Spanish sovereignty over the waters in question, referencing the Treaty of Utrecht.
The exercise area is claimed by both Gibraltar and Britain as part of their sovereignty; however, Spain contests this, emphasizing that the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht only ceded the city, port, and defenses, not the surrounding waters.
Notably, a similar exercise prompted a formal complaint from the Spanish Foreign Ministry to Britain, expressing rejection of what it considers incursions into its sovereignty. Three weeks later, London dismissed Madrid’s concerns and redeployed its units in the area.
This military escalation occurs amid sensitive negotiations regarding the future of Gibraltar post-Brexit, with Spain seeking to secure control over the surrounding waters while Britain asserts its historical rights.
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