The departure of the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, which were intended to aid Washington's war on Iran, was announced by Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov on Saturday. Villagers in Bezmer had protested the deployment since late July, fearing their area could become a target for Iranian attacks, following reports that Tehran had warned Bulgaria against allowing its territory to be used for US/Israel military operations. Despite the planes' departure, geopolitical tensions persist, with Stoyanov accusing Iran of an effective hybrid operation aided by Bulgarian opposition, and Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterating its right to counter any action supporting US and Israeli military aggression.