The United States has informed Israel that it will withdraw all military aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport within 72 hours if a deal with Iran is signed. The aircraft will be relocated to European bases but remain on standby in case fighting resumes with Iran, Israeli Channel 12 reported [1].
Ben Gurion Airport, Israel’s main international airport, currently hosts a significant number of US military aircraft. Israeli civilian airlines have complained about disruptions caused by their presence [2, 1].
In May 2026, Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev sent an urgent letter demanding immediate removal of the US military aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport. She said their presence was causing "serious harm to civilian airport operations," particularly as foreign airlines have started returning to Israel [1].
No official comments have been made by US or Israeli authorities regarding the planned withdrawal [1].
The withdrawal plan is connected to ongoing Pakistan-mediated talks aimed at ending the war that began on February 28, 2026, following US and Israeli attacks on Iran [1].
On May 27, reports confirmed that the US communicated to Israel it would execute the withdrawal within 72 hours of an Iran deal being finalized [2, 1]. This rapid timeline underlines the urgency in balancing military readiness with civilian air traffic needs.
If the deal proceeds, the US aircraft will leave Ben Gurion swiftly but remain ready to redeploy should hostilities with Iran resume.
