Key facts
- Senior US Central Command officials have protested Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev's order limiting US refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport.
- The restrictions are due to concerns about airport capacity during the summer travel season.
- US officials argue the decision undermines their operational needs amid escalation with Iran.
- The US has been relocating some of its refueling aircraft, with around 30 remaining at the airport.
- The Israel Airports Authority issued an emergency directive barring additional US refuelers from landing.
Senior US Central Command officials have protested Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev's order to limit the number of US Air Force refueling aircraft landing at Ben Gurion Airport. The decision, aimed at easing congestion during the peak summer travel season, has sparked disagreement between the US and Israeli defense and transport ministries.
According to reports, Regev instructed that no more than 20 US refueling tankers should land at the airport, with remaining aircraft to be moved to Air Force bases. This move comes amid heightened tensions and ongoing strikes between the US and Iran, with US officials indicating the restrictions undermine their operational needs in the region. An Israeli military official acknowledged the US request for space was justified, calling the aircraft a strategic asset crucial for joint operational plans related to Tehran.
For months, Ben Gurion Airport has hosted a significant number of US refueling and cargo planes, leading to complaints from Israeli officials about the impact on airport operations. While the US has been relocating some of these aircraft, the Israel Airports Authority issued an emergency directive to bar additional landings, freezing the removal of existing planes amid the latest escalation with Iran. The Transport Ministry warned that if aircraft are not moved, nearly 50,000 flight bookings for July could be at risk of cancellation.