In a firm reassertion of its centuries-old policy of non-alignment, the Swiss government has formally rejected requests for two U.S. military reconnaissance flights to transit through its airspace. The decision, announced by the Federal Council on Saturday, comes as regional tensions in the Middle East continue to escalate following recent military actions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

The Federal Council reviewed a total of five requests from the U.S. military. While three flights—consisting of two transport aircraft and one maintenance-related mission—were granted permission to pass, the two reconnaissance flights scheduled for Sunday were flatly denied. Swiss authorities clarified that these specific missions were directly linked to the ongoing conflict in Iran, triggering the country’s strict “Law of Neutrality.”

Under Swiss law, the government is prohibited from allowing overflights by parties engaged in an active conflict if those flights serve a direct military or combat-related purpose. However, the law does provide carve-outs for humanitarian and medical transits, including the transport of wounded personnel, as well as flights clearly unrelated to the hostilities. Officials in Bern emphasized that future requests will continue to be vetted on a case-by-case basis, with an added warning that flights exceeding normal traffic levels or those with ambiguous purposes will likely face similar rejections.

This diplomatic friction highlights the growing pressure on neutral European states as the conflict intensifies. While Germany has allowed the U.S. to use its Ramstein Air Base as a launch point for operations, other nations like Britain and Spain have previously faced criticism from the Trump administration for limiting the use of their bases or territory for the same campaign.

For Switzerland, the move is less about a shift in diplomatic relations with Washington and more about a rigid adherence to a legal framework that has defined the nation’s identity since 1815. By distinguishing between logistical transport and active reconnaissance, the Swiss government aims to maintain its functional role in international aviation while ensuring it does not become a silent participant in the Middle East war.