US strikes on Iran raise prospect of renewed military buildup at Ben Gurion
Israeli officials are assessing whether the airport can accommodate additional U.S. aerial refueling aircraft without severely disrupting passenger traffic.
Against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East and recent U.S. strikes on Iranian territory, Israeli authorities have conducted a contingency assessment examining the possible return of U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft to Israel, including to Ben Gurion Airport.
Israeli Air Force bases are currently facing operational constraints that limit their ability to accommodate a large number of the aircraft. As a result, if Washington decides to redeploy a significant fleet of aerial refueling tankers to Israel, many are expected to be based at Ben Gurion Airport.
At present, around 20 U.S. military tankers remain at Ben Gurion Airport, after the Ministry of Transportation spent months relocating dozens of aircraft that had occupied valuable parking space, limiting capacity for civilian airlines and disrupting preparations for the peak summer travel season.
Following the relocation effort, the Ministry of Transportation committed to making Ben Gurion Airport available to the U.S. military if operational needs require it, giving priority to national security considerations.
If the U.S. military returns only a limited number of additional tankers, airport officials believe Ben Gurion Airport will be able to absorb the aircraft with relatively minor disruption. Passengers could still experience delays, however, as military aircraft receive priority for ground handling and air traffic services. Even with additional staffing, the increased military activity is expected to affect airport operations.
A much larger deployment would pose a greater challenge. If the U.S. military requests a return to the situation that existed until early June, when more than 70 aerial refueling tankers were stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, officials believe it could significantly disrupt civilian operations, forcing airlines to reduce schedules and potentially leading to widespread flight cancellations during the height of the summer travel season.
