Belgian authorities have seized two shipments of military equipment sent from the United Kingdom to Israel, following a national ban on the use of Belgian airspace or stopovers by aircraft carrying arms to Israel. The seizures took place at Liège Airport on March 24, after warnings from several activist groups that weapons were being routed through Belgium. Tests revealed the shipments contained fire control systems and aircraft parts that were not properly declared, prompting a criminal investigation.

The Walloon regional government identified one company involved as Moog, a US aerospace and defense manufacturer with a UK facility producing parts for M-346 aircraft used in Israeli pilot training. According to Declassified, similar shipments had passed through Belgium before, with at least 17 consignments labeled as “aircraft components.” The UK Foreign Office stated it had no record of formal communication with Belgium regarding such transfers.

The UK government previously suspended 30 of 350 arms export licenses to Israel in September 2024, citing humanitarian law concerns in Gaza. Belgian officials said no transit license had been requested for the seized shipments and that any such application would have been rejected.