Dozens of US military refueling aircraft are expected to remain stationed in Israel's Ben-Gurion Airport at least until the end of 2027, according to a report by N12 on Monday.
The aircraft and US military personnel required to operate them will be stationed in and around Ben-Gurion Airport and are already creating significant logistical challenges for the airport, according to N12.
Last week, N12 reported that Civil Aviation Authority head Shmuel Zakay sent a letter to Transportation Minister Miri Regev, claiming that "Ben-Gurion is operating like a military base, not as a civilian airport."
What is more, the presence of the US military aircraft could affect flight prices as it may deter foreign airlines from re-establishing regular flights to and from Tel Aviv.
Reports of the aircraft being stationed at the airport first emerged amid the start of operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury as the Israeli and American air forces conducted airstrikes against the Iranian regime.
Ben-Gurion Airport employee fired for photographing US military planes
An employee at Ben-Gurion Airport was fired after photographing US military planes operating from the airport and posting the images on a WhatsApp group, Ynet reported in late April.
The incident almost caused a serious disagreement between the US military and the IDF, the report said.
However, the Israel Airports Authority (IAA) responded to Ynet's report, saying that "The information is inaccurate. This was a temporary employee who worked for two months and was fired due to a disciplinary violation, in accordance with protocols."
Additionally, an IDF soldier who was in the area also photographed the US military planes, and is suspected of posting images online, Ynet added.
James Genn contributed to this report.