After an exchange of declarations between both countries, the Spanish troops eventually evicted the Moroccan infantry who had relieved their Navy comrades.

Perejil Island (Spanish: Isla de Perejil, Arabic: تورة, romanized: Tūra) is a small rocky island under disputed sovereignty, lying 250 metres (270 yd) from Morocco, and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from the Spanish city of Ceuta, which borders Morocco, and 13.5 kilometres (8.4 mi) from mainland Spain.

[3][4][5] Morocco claimed that the occupation was carried out in order to monitor illegal immigration, and to fight drug dealers and smugglers who use the island as a logistic platform.

[2][8] Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar warned Morocco that Spain would not accept a policy of fait accompli.

[10][11] The entire operation was coordinated by the Spanish Navy from the amphibious ship Castilla, on station at the Strait of Gibraltar.

[12] The Spanish patrol boats Izaro and Laya came alongside the Moroccan gunboat El Lahiq, at anchor off the island, in order to prevent it from interfering with the operation.

Opposition politician Gaspar Llamazares of the United Left party said that Spain should not fall into the "provocation trap", so that it does not ruin its image in North Africa.