MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei leaves Israel before airspace closure and reaches Spain

Milei was to depart for Buenos Aires Saturday after a series of engagements in Madrid, having left Israel only hours before its airspace was closed

Argentine President Javier Milei landed safely in Spain Thursday after leaving Israel before the full-scale attack against Iran's military and nuclear targets, which resulted, among other measures, in the closure of Tel Aviv's airspace.

While in Madrid, Milei was to receive the Escuela de Salamanca Award from the Club de los Viernes, a think tank focused on the “debate, individual responsibility and limits to state power in defense of citizens' freedoms.”

He had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to promote democracy, combat terrorism, and fight antisemitism, with agreements on defense, intelligence, and security cooperation. He had also insisted on moving Argentina's Embassy to Jerusalem next year.

Spain is the last stop on his tour of Israel and Europe. After landing at the Torrejón de Ardoz military airport, Milei and his entourage were driven to the Hyatt Regency Hesperia hotel.

Milei's presence in Madrid was shadowed by a new scandal involving Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

The Argentine head of State is to fly back to Buenos Aires Saturday. He is much needed in his country, the only one in South America to have been hit twice by antisemitic attacks believed to have been sponsored by Iran in 1992 and 1994.

In this scenario, the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA) implemented heightened security measures, particularly through the Division of Sensitive Terrorism Targets, which reinforced protocols at strategic locations.

Additionally, the Argentine government expressed solidarity with Israel, reaffirming its commitment to supporting its allies. Authorities also issued travel advisories for Argentine citizens in Lebanon, urging them to stay alert due to rising regional tensions.