Amid the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran, the US military is continuing to increase its presence in the Middle East. Currently, there are dozens of American fighter jets and Israeli military aircraft stationed at major civilian airports in Israel.
According to the Financial Times, the number of fighter jets stationed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv has been steadily increasing since the US-Israeli coalition declared war on Iran at the end of February. By May, the airport had over 50 military air tankers stationed there.
Satellite images analyzed by the Financial Times show that as of early March, about 36 tankers were parked at Ben Gurion Airport. During the ceasefire that began in early April, the number rose to 47. As of this week, the number of fighter jets parked there has increased to 52.
These tankers provide mid-air refueling for fighter jets, enabling the US Air Force to carry out strike missions deep inside Iran.
Ben Gurion Airport has been a frequent target of attacks by Iran and its proxy groups, but fortunately, its multi-layered missile defense system, strengthened by the United States, has successfully repelled these attacks. The only exception was in May 2025, when a missile attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen damaged a road on the outskirts of the airport.
Ben Gurion Airport serves as a major air traffic hub in Israel. In January of this year, nearly 1.5 million passengers transited through the airport. During the recent US-Israeli military strikes against Iran, most foreign airlines suspended flights to the airport, which has since reopened after the ceasefire took effect.
Further south in Israel, the smaller Ramon civilian airport has also been found to be used for parking fighter jets. Satellite images show that Ramon Airport remained vacant in February and March, but since the ceasefire in early April, at least 10 tankers have been stationed there.
Israeli Channel 12 News reported this week that the government is currently negotiating to keep the tankers stationed at Ben Gurion Airport until the end of 2027.
Israel has multiple military airports, including the vast Nevatim Air Force Base in the south. It is unclear why these tankers are not stationed at military facilities.
Parking fighter jets at civilian airports raises security concerns. Marko Milanović, International Law Professor at the University of Reading in the UK, warned that turning parts of Ben Gurion Airport into a de facto military base could make it a target for enemy attacks once again.