Kathmandu— The village of Bezmer in southeastern Bulgaria experienced weeks of anxiety over the potential for Iranian attacks following the deployment of two United States Air Force refuelling aircraft to a local airbase, but those fears eased on Saturday when the planes departed; the US stated the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers were leaving to support “other operational requirements” after Bulgaria approved their use as part of Washington’s strategy regarding Iran.

Heightened Fears and Protests

The arrival of the USAF tankers in late July sparked immediate concern among Bezmer residents, who feared the village could become a target should tensions with Iran escalate. Within days, over 3,000 signatures were collected on a petition opposing the deployment, leading to peaceful protests as villagers voiced their desire not to be drawn into a potential conflict. Rosen Rusev, the mayor of Bezmer, explained that many residents work at the base and are accustomed to aircraft noise, but this situation felt different.

Government Reassurances Fall Short

Despite government assurances from Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov that military intelligence had identified no threat to national security, and a UK assessment reportedly judging the risk as extremely low, many villagers remained unconvinced. Dinka Todorova, 67, and Ganka Vlaeva, 78, who both have children working at the airbase, expressed deep fears for their safety, with Vlaeva stating, “We are the first target, and many people will die.” Some residents accused government officials of ignoring their concerns.

A Village Divided

While widespread anxiety gripped Bezmer, not all residents shared the same level of concern. Ivan, a 33-year-old local, dismissed the fears as “groundless panic,” expressing greater worry about potential threats from Russia. Efforts were made to alleviate stress within the community; Antoniya Ivanova projected animated films onto a white sheet hung over an aerial photograph of Bezmer for children to enjoy, acknowledging that they were the most innocent in the situation.

Political Fallout and Iranian Response

The deployment also sparked political tensions within Bulgaria. Defence Minister Stoyanov claimed Iran had conducted a hybrid operation aided by opposition politicians, predicting it would continue. Meanwhile, Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Tehran reserved the right to counter any support for US or Israeli military aggression against it, while clarifying they held no issue with the Bulgarian people themselves and acknowledged the planes' departure.

Limited Operational Impact

Prime Minister Rumen Radev revealed on Monday that the tankers had not flown south towards Iran from the Bezmer airbase, instead utilizing the base for training exercises with other NATO members. Despite this, Iranian officials maintained their stance against any support for potential military action.

While the US Air Force planes have left Bulgaria, geopolitical tensions remain and concerns persist among some residents of Bezmer about being drawn into future conflicts.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.