US begins withdrawing refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport

The US military has begun withdrawing aerial refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv at the request of Israeli authorities seeking to reduce operational strain during the peak summer travel season, Israeli media reported Thursday. Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev pressed security officials to relocate the planes to ensure civilian air traffic could flow smoothly through one of the region's busiest hubs, according to Channel 12.

Deployment since February

The refueling aircraft were deployed to Ben Gurion on Feb. 28 when Washington and Jerusalem launched their joint military campaign against Tehran, and their presence has since fueled debate among Israeli officials regarding congestion at the international gateway.

Neither Israeli nor US authorities issued immediate statements regarding the withdrawal timeline or the aircraft's eventual destination, with the exact number of planes involved remaining undisclosed.

Regional diplomacy

The reported pullback coincides with mounting speculation that Washington and Tehran are approaching an agreement on navigation rights through the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic chokepoint vital to global energy shipments that has been central to tensions since hostilities began. Diplomatic channels have remained active as both sides seek to de-escalate following two months of disruptions to maritime traffic across the Persian Gulf.