The Spanish government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's is one of the most anti-Israeli in the EU, and this was demonstrated in June 2025, when the Ministry of Defense in Madrid suspended a euro285 million deal to procure Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles from Rafael Advance Defense Systems as a protest against the war in Gaza.
This meant Spain needed advanced missiles from elsewhere, so it turned to EuroSpike.
Rafael owns 20% of the European company, with German companies Rheinmetall and Diehl, which each hold 40%. This company produces MELLS, the European variant of the Spike LR2, through which the Spaniards will also be able to use the Spike LR missiles that they have been operating for 17 years. The Sánchez government justified the deal by saying that the components of MELLS are manufactured in Europe.
The deal was first struck in October 2023, when the Spanish Ministry of Defense reached an agreement with Pap Tecnos, a subsidiary of Rafael in Spain, to purchase the Spike LR 2 missiles. The deal included 168 launchers, 1,680 missiles and full logistical support. When the decision was made to "suspend the agreement" there was an expectation that US giants Raytheon and Lockheed Martin would benefit from the anti-Israel policy through the sale of Javelin missiles, but Madrid is targeting MELLS, which is the same missile in a different guise.
The Spike series includes a wide range of models, adapted to different ranges and diverse platforms. The lightest model, Tact (Spike SR), weighs about 10 kilograms, is carried on the shoulder and is designed for ranges of up to 2 kilometers. At the other end of the spectrum, is the Spike NLOS known as Tammuz, which weighs about 71 kilograms, can hit a target up to 32 kilometers away, and can be launched from land, air and sea platforms. The biggest demand worldwide is for the Spike LR models (with a range of 4 kilometers) and the Spike LR2, with a range of 5.5 kilometers from the ground and 10 kilometers from the air.
Cancelled contracts
Spain has cancelled at least three arms deals after Madrid approved a total arms embargo on Israel which forbids the European country from exporting any defense material or dual-use products or technologies to Israel and the import of any arms to Spain.
Sanchez has called the war in Gaza a “genocide” and has called to ban anyone who has participated directly in the war from entering the country.
Spain has canceled several weapons contracts, including the $325 million contract for 168 Spike LR2 anti-tank missile launchers and 1,680 missiles from Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. It also cancelled a $7.5 million order for bullets from Israel’s IMI Systems for its Civil Guard police force and cancelled the procurement of Elbit Systems’ PULS artillery system, a deal worth €700 million.
Nevertheless, according to a report by EuropaPress, defense ministry sources admitted in May of last year that a full break from Israeli military technology or an arms embargo would be “complicated” and “difficult” to implement since much of Spain’s cybersecurity and artificial intelligence technology is Israeli.
Despite the embargo, official trade data indicates that Spain continues to buy weapons from Israel, reaching €7 million in 2024 and €10.2 million in 2025. Over the past year, Spain imported €6.8 million worth of bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, missiles, and similar munitions. Another €3.4 million worth of war weaponry and ammunition were also imported.
Anna Ahronheim contributed to this report