CENTCOM officials protest Israeli restrictions on additional US refueling aircraft: Report

Senior US Central Command (CENTCOM) officials have protested to the Israeli military over a decision to bar additional American aerial refueling aircraft from landing at Ben Gurion Airport, the Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Tuesday.

According to the newspaper, the officials contacted Israeli military commanders and other security officials after Transport Minister Miri Regev ordered that no additional US refueling aircraft be allowed to land at Israel’s main international airport for the time being.

A source familiar with the matter told the daily that the US officials expressed anger over the decision, saying it directly undermines the operational needs of American forces in the region amid the ongoing escalation with Iran.

The officials described the refueling aircraft as a key component of the US regional deterrence and defense posture.

An Israeli military official also cited by the newspaper called the US request “justified,” describing the aircraft as a “strategic asset” and an essential part of joint operational preparations related to Iran.

The dispute followed Israel’s decision to suspend plans to relocate the US refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport to free parking stands for civilian traffic during the peak summer travel season.

The newspaper said four additional US refueling aircraft landed Monday evening without prior coordination, bringing the total number stationed at the airport to 33.

It added that Israel and the United States had previously agreed to keep 20 refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion out of roughly 100 deployed across the region.

Earlier Tuesday, Regev instructed airport authorities not to allow any additional US refueling aircraft to land.

Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that the Airports Authority warned that the continued presence of the aircraft could disrupt civilian air traffic and force the cancellation of around 50,000 airline tickets during July, the busiest month of the year for outbound travel.

The refueling aircraft have been operating from Ben Gurion Airport as part of expanded US military deployments in the region amid the ongoing confrontation with Iran.

Tensions have escalated between the US and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, with the two sides exchanging attacks despite a Pakistani-mediated memorandum of understanding aimed at ending their conflict and reaching a lasting peace agreement.