New US reinforcements: Refueling aircraft deployed to Israeli bases

The Israeli military said on Saturday that U.S. Air Force refueling aircraft that arrived in Israel landed at Israeli military bases for “logistical and operational” reasons, as Washington bolstered its military presence in the region amid ongoing confrontation with Iran.

The military clarified that the decision was made in coordination with the United States to facilitate the deployment of U.S. forces while minimizing the impact on civilian air traffic, noting that the aircraft did not use Ben Gurion Airport but were instead distributed among military air bases within Israel.

According to the Israeli military, this measure was taken to maintain the smooth flow of civilian air traffic, as Israel receives U.S. military reinforcements linked to ongoing operations in the region.

Emanuel Fabian, the military affairs correspondent for the Times of Israel, quoted the military as saying that dozens of additional refueling aircraft would be stationed at Israeli air bases rather than Ben Gurion Airport, after the Israeli Ministry of Transport had set a cap of no more than 20 aircraft at the airport to avoid disrupting flights during the summer travel season.

He added that the decision to deploy the aircraft at military bases was taken by the United States in coordination with the Israeli military, which had made prior preparations to receive them, emphasizing that the military establishment is working to support the deployment of U.S. forces while safeguarding the needs of civilian aviation.

This move comes as the United States continues to strengthen its military presence in the Middle East, having recently deployed fighter jets, strategic bombers, and refueling aircraft, coinciding with ongoing U.S. strikes on targets inside Iran and escalating regional tensions.

Refueling aircraft play a pivotal role in long-range air operations, allowing fighters and bombers to remain airborne for longer periods and expand their operational range without needing to land for refueling, thereby granting U.S. and Israeli forces greater flexibility in conducting air missions if escalation in the region continues.

The move also coincides with reports on Friday indicating that U.S. forces were relocating fighter jets from Europe to the Middle East as part of the escalation with Iran.