US refueling aircraft to stay at Ben-Gurion Airport until the end of 2027 - report

Coverage Comparison

A report by Israeli news outlet N12, cited by the Jerusalem Post, says dozens of US military refueling aircraft and associated personnel are expected to remain stationed at Ben-Gurion International Airport until at least the end of 2027. The aircraft arrived amid joint US-Israel operations against Iran, and their presence has created significant logistical challenges for the airport, according to N12.

The Jerusalem Post also reported that preparations are underway for a possible evacuation of US Navy aircraft from Ben-Gurion in connection with the expected signing of a US-Iran agreement to end the war. Israeli authorities have been informed that once the agreement is approved, US military planes would leave the airport immediately, with a focus on evacuation within 72 hours to nearby bases across Europe. Should the situation escalate, the aircraft would be placed on high alert at Ben-Gurion. However, most planes have already been moved from their positions to the nearby Lod Airbase, which has been reopened.

Key Claims

Sharon Kedmi, director general of the Israel Airports Authority, told KAN's Reshet Bet radio station that the airport is operating at about one-third of its operational capacity because of the US military presence. He stated that 70% of airport activity is limited due to space and resources taken by American military activity. "We are at the limit of our capabilities," he said, projecting that as many as 3 million passengers will see their flights canceled this summer, and losses could run to billions of shekels. The authority reported losses of 700 million shekels in the last two months.

Shmuel Zakay, head of the Civil Aviation Authority, has sent a letter to Transportation Minister Miri Regev claiming that "Ben-Gurion is operating like a military base, not as a civilian airport." This claim was reported by N12 and carried by The Jerusalem Post.

An incident involving an employee at Ben-Gurion who photographed US military planes and posted images on WhatsApp was reported by Ynet. The Israel Airports Authority responded that the employee was temporary and fired due to a disciplinary violation. The incident reportedly nearly caused a disagreement between the US military and the IDF. An IDF soldier also photographed the planes and is suspected of posting images online.

The presence of the aircraft could affect flight prices and deter foreign carriers from reestablishing regular flights to Tel Aviv, according to N12 as reported by The Jerusalem Post.

Perspectives

The US Embassy in Jerusalem referred Reuters to the State Department for comment, which did not immediately respond. This came amid figures from Kedmi that the airport's activity is severely restricted and that there is no information on when the US military activities will end.

As per a report by N12 cited by The Jerusalem Post in May, the US aircraft are expected to remain until at least the end of 2027, contradicting the evacuation preparations reported later in May. The later report suggests the evacuation is contingent on the US-Iran agreement approval, implying a potential earlier departure.

No official US statements were available at the time of writing. The reports do not indicate if the US has communicated an end date for the airport operations, leaving further questions on how the situation will unfold.

The Israeli Airports Authority faces potential cancellations that could affect millions of passengers, loss of revenue, and strained relations with the US military over security and airport operations.

The diverging accounts of employee punishment, with the Airports Authority stating a routine disciplinary action, whereas the Ynet report suggests it nearly lead to tensions, highlight the complexities of managing a civilian airport hosting military operations.

Foreign carriers' decisions will be key to how quickly Ben-Gurion returns to normal capacity, a point echoed by Kedmi. According to him, foreign won't return soon, exacerbating the financial losses and capacity limitations.

Overall, the situation remains fluid with US military operations at Ben-Gurion impacting daily civilian air traffic, but with no clear end in sight.