The departure of two U.S. Air Force (USAF) aerial refueling aircraft from Bulgaria’s Bezmer Air Base was news that residents of the surrounding villages welcomed with relief a few days ago.

“The American flying tankers took off yesterday and left Bulgaria,” the country’s defense minister, Dimitar Stoyanov, announced on Saturday, while President Iliana Iotova said: “For the time being, this mission has been completed.”

The U.S. Air Force, for its part, announced that the Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers, which had been intended to support U.S. operations in the war with Iran, had departed in order to meet “other operational requirements.”

For several weeks, residents of the area had feared that the presence of the American aircraft could turn their region, in southeastern Bulgaria, into a target for Iranian attacks.

Tehran had previously warned Bulgaria not to allow its territory to be used for U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran. A few days ago, the Financial Times, citing anonymous Iranian sources, reported that in the event of an escalation of U.S. operations in Iran, Iranian forces had “considered the possibility of striking U.S. targets in southeastern European countries, such as Bulgaria,” following Sofia’s approval of the use of Bezmer Air Base by American refueling aircraft.

“I pray to God that they do not attack our village,” a woman who works at a local grocery store told Al Jazeera a few days before the aircraft departed, adding: “We are afraid, but nothing depends on us.”

Although the aircraft have now left, geopolitical tensions remain, as does the fear among Bezmer’s residents that they could once again become involved in the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran in the future.

“The hybrid operation will continue”

During the week, Stoyanov told reporters that Iran had carried out an effective “hybrid operation,” in which, he claimed, Bulgarian opposition politicians had assisted.

“Unfortunately, this hybrid operation will continue,” he predicted, in comments that were considered to be directed at the opposition. Stoyanov gave no further clarification.

In Bezmer, a village of around 1,000 residents next to the air base, the presence of Bulgarian military aircraft has been part of everyday life for years. Many residents work at the base, according to Mayor Rosen Rusev, and the sound of aircraft flying over their homes is commonplace.

At the end of July, however, the Bulgarian government proposed — and Parliament approved — the deployment of up to eight American Stratotankers and up to 250 military personnel.

Within two days, residents of Bezmer and neighboring villages collected more than 3,000 signatures against the deployment of American forces and held peaceful demonstrations. They did not want their village to become part of the war with Iran.

Rusev said that excitement swept through Bezmer on Friday when residents realized that the refueling aircraft had left. “Now they feel that their voice has finally been heard,” he told Al Jazeera, adding: “Exactly what they wanted has happened.”

“We tremble every day”

The government in Sofia had attempted to reassure residents. Stoyanov said that military intelligence services had not identified any threat to national security, the American aircraft, or other facilities in Bulgaria. A United Kingdom assessment, which the government had requested, reportedly also characterized the risk as extremely low.

The assurances, however, failed to reassure everyone.

“We tremble day by day and pray that the war does not come here. We are the first target and many people will die,” residents said, adding: “And children… for the ambitions of the greedy.”

At the same time, they expressed disappointment with the government and lawmakers, accusing them of ignoring the residents’ request. “They do not want to listen to the voice of the people who elected them,” they said.

Not everyone in Bezmer shared these fears, however. Another resident argued that an “unfounded panic” had been recklessly cultivated. “There is no danger to the village,” he noted, stressing that he was more concerned about the possibility of interceptor missiles appearing or “something that will come from Russia through the Black Sea.”

The role of social media

According to the mayor of Bezmer, social media made the situation even more difficult.

In Facebook groups, officials and experts attempted to deal with thousands of comments, many of which were based on speculation and fueled panic.

Military police were also conducting patrols in the village and around the air base, which heightened the sense of fear among some residents, while for others it created a greater sense of security.

Although Bulgaria lies within the range of some Iranian missiles, analysts argue that Iran is unlikely to possess either the operational capability or the genuine intention to carry out successful missile attacks against Bulgaria or other parts of mainland Europe.

On Monday, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said that the American refueling aircraft had not carried out a single flight “south from the airport,” but had traveled to other NATO member countries for training and exercises.

Tehran’s warning

On the same day, however, Iran’s Foreign Ministry announced that Tehran retains the right to respond to “any action deemed to support the military attack by the United States and Israel” against it.

“We have no problem with the Bulgarian people,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.

“It had already been announced — and the reports have also confirmed it — that several aerial refueling aircraft have departed Bulgarian territory. As many Bulgarian citizens and politicians have acknowledged, this action is contrary to international law and amounts to support for the military attack by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran.”

Back in the village, one woman said that she was not afraid of Iran’s threats. She asked that her name not be published and that she not be photographed.

“I certainly am not afraid. God protects us,” she told Al Jazeera. She then recited a verse from the Bible: “I lie down and sleep in peace, because only You, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”