US Military Freezes Removal of Refueling Planes at Ben Gurion Airport Amid Rising Tensions

The US military has decided to halt the removal of American refueling aircraft stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, a move that could significantly disrupt Israeli air travel. This decision, revealed on July 14, 2026, comes amid escalating regional tensions and poses a risk of canceling approximately 50,000 flight tickets by the end of the month.

Sharon Kadmi, CEO of the Israel Airports Authority, sent an urgent letter to the Transport Ministry warning of the operational and public consequences of this freeze. Contrary to expectations, the number of refueling planes has increased by four, exacerbating the situation. Kadmi emphasized the immediate and severe operational impact, noting that if the agreed removal plan is not resumed promptly, a critical shortage of parking spaces for passenger aircraft at Ben Gurion will arise starting July 23.

This shortage would force the Airports Authority to cancel around 10 flights daily, further straining the airport's capacity and affecting thousands of travelers. The freeze on the removal of these military aircraft thus threatens to disrupt the airport's operations and the broader Israeli travel sector in the coming weeks.