US Refueling Aircraft to Be Moved From Ben-Gurion Amid Airport Capacity Strain
About half of the US refueling aircraft currently stationed at Ben-Gurion Airport are expected to be moved to Israel Air Force bases to reduce the risk of flight disruptions during the busy summer travel season, Maariv reported Sunday. Parking areas at other airfields, including Megiddo, will also be cleared for IAF use.
The operation is being overseen by National Security Council Director Shmuel Ben-Ezra, with the relocation plan expected to be finalized in the coming days.
The aircraft are expected to remain in Israel through at least the end of 2027, but their presence and the US personnel operating them have created major logistical challenges. In May, the Israel Airports Authority said Ben-Gurion was operating at just one-third of its capacity because of the aircraft.
Authority Director General Sharon Kedmi told KAN Reshet Bet that 70% of airport activity is restricted due to the space and resources occupied by US military operations. “We are only utilizing one-third of the airport’s operational capacity,” he said. “We are at the limit of our capabilities. There will be flights that we will announce in the coming days that are being canceled.”
Kedmi added that the authority lost 700 million shekels (about $248 million) over the past two months and warned losses could reach billions if the situation continues.
In preparation for the potential signing of a US-Iran agreement to end the war, Ben-Gurion Airport was reportedly ready to facilitate an emergency evacuation of the US aircraft.
Israeli authorities were informed last month that, upon approval of the agreement, US military planes will leave the airport immediately. The evacuation is designed to occur within 72 hours to nearby bases in Europe, and, should the conflict escalate, the aircraft would be placed on high alert at Ben-Gurion Airport.
