| Axis ship-watching activities in the Gibraltar area | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II | |
 Locations of observation stations as of late 19417 | |
| Location | |
| Objective | Collection of intelligence on Allied shipping movements |
| Date | 1939–1944 |
From 1939 until January 1944, the intelligence services of Germany and Italy, with the assistance of the Spanish government, maintained a network of stations in the vicinity of the Strait of Gibraltar. The stations tracked the movements of Allied warships and merchant vessels and became a valuable source of intelligence to the Axis, for attacks on Allied convoys. The British Government considered attacking the stations on two occasions during 1942 but decided instead to use diplomatic pressure to have them closed. The stations are believed to have ceased operations in January 1944.