In Spain, the military fears growing Moroccan pressure on Ceuta and Melilla

While the Spanish government publicly praises its Moroccan "strategic partner," the reality studied by intelligence services is far grimmer. As El Confidencial points out, a glaring gap exists between official security strategy and general staff analysis. Military authorities have not forgotten the events of May 2021, when Rabat deliberately pushed more than 10,000 migrants toward Ceuta, illustrating the pressure tactics employed by the kingdom.

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Facing a neighboring country emboldened by its recent international alliances, the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies (IEEE) published a 260-page report breaking a taboo. This think tank linked to the Defense Ministry points to the extreme vulnerability of the ports in both autonomous cities, isolated by land border closure. Dependent on maritime transport and exposed to cyberattacks, these territories urgently need a specific national strategy to protect their critical infrastructure from hybrid threats.

To prepare for any eventuality, senior military officials are demanding the development of a comprehensive conventional defense plan encompassing land, maritime, air, space, and cyber domains. The threat does not take the form of a frontal military attack. Frigate Captain Augusto Conte asserts that Rabat operates according to a "gray zone logic" aimed at "gradually modifying the status quo" through constant pressure, against which Madrid’s purely pragmatic response proves insufficient.

On Bladi.net : Spain Bolsters Military Presence in Ceuta and Melilla Amid Rising Moroccan Tensions

To this security pressure is added a genuine economic offensive. Morocco is deploying a formidable state project with the massive development of Tanger Med and Nador West Med complexes, designed to financially strangle the Spanish enclaves. Last year, Tangier’s traffic even surpassed that of the ports of Algeciras and Valencia combined. This is fierce competition, fueled by far lower wage and environmental requirements, forcing Spain to rethink its strategic vision in the Strait of Gibraltar.