- Israel warns up to 10 flights a day could be canceled starting July 23, 2026, at Ben-Gurion International Airport.
- The parking shortage could affect nearly 50,000 bookings by the end of July if tankers remain.
- Israel’s Airports Authority is urging a solution that protects civilian operations and restores the agreed withdrawal plan.
The US military halted its planned withdrawal of aerial refueling aircraft from Ben-Gurion International Airport, prompting Israel’s airport authority to warn that up to 10 commercial flights a day could be canceled beginning July 23, 2026.
The disruption could affect nearly 50,000 passenger bookings by the end of July 2026. The aircraft occupy parking stands needed by civilian operators at the airport near Tel Aviv.
Sharon Kedmi, director general of the Israel Airports Authority, urged Israel’s Ministry of Transport to restore the agreed withdrawal plan. Without it, he warned, the airport would face a severe shortage of aircraft parking stands.
The authority described the issue as having “immediate and serious” operational importance. It also called for a solution that would not harm citizens.
The suspension follows escalating tensions with Iran. Reports indicate that four additional US refueling aircraft have been deployed to the airport, adding pressure to already limited parking space.
The airport could lose stands for 10 flights each day
The authority estimates that the shortage could force cancellations of up to 10 commercial flights daily. Those cancellations could affect 50,000 commercial airline tickets.
The airport has already operated below its normal capacity. In May, Kedmi said American military operations had consumed enough space and resources to leave the facility operating at only one-third of its capacity.
Approximately 20 US military tankers remain at the airport after an earlier relocation effort moved dozens of aircraft to Israeli Air Force bases in late May.
Reports have cited different fleet totals at different points:
| Reported figure | Description |
|---|---|
| Approximately 20 aircraft | US military tankers remaining at the airport |
| 32 aircraft | Earlier reported peak deployment |
| Up to 72 aircraft | Figure cited in some reports for recent months |
The figures come from separate reports about the US military presence. The latest warning centers on the aircraft occupying airport parking positions and the four additional tankers reportedly deployed during the Iran escalation.
Israel has placed military requirements ahead of civilian traffic
Miri Regev, Israel’s Transport Minister, raised the aircraft issue with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in late May. She described the continued US presence as an “unnecessary burden” on civilian aviation.
The Ministry of Transportation had committed to prioritizing national security over civilian traffic if US operational requirements demanded use of the airport.
Officials have said a limited return of tankers would create only “relatively minor disruption” compared with a full redeployment of the previous 70+ aircraft fleet. That assessment accompanies the authority’s separate warning about the shortage of civilian parking stands.
The earlier relocation moved dozens of aircraft to Israeli Air Force bases. The authority is now pressing for a defense-led arrangement that can accommodate US operations without taking the needed space from commercial flights.
The defense ministry is being asked to protect civilian operations
The Airports Authority has called on Israel’s Ministry of Defense to find a solution that does not harm citizens. The request puts the defense ministry at the center of an airport-capacity problem created by military deployments.
Commercial airlines could face cancellations if the airport cannot provide enough stands from July 23. Passengers with affected bookings would then face changes to planned flights, while the authority continues to balance civilian traffic against US operational needs.
The immediate deadline is approaching. The authority’s warning ties the parking shortage to July 23, when the airport could begin lacking sufficient stands for scheduled commercial operations.
