The departure of dozens of U.S. military refueling aircraft from Israel has begun, easing concerns over a growing parking-space crisis at Ben Gurion Airport that officials feared could disrupt civilian air travel during the busy summer season, Channel 13 reported.

Six U.S. tanker aircraft departed Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday and relocated to Ramon Air Base. Tanker aircraft that had been stationed at Ramon have already left Israel, and under current plans, approximately 20 additional aircraft are expected to depart by Sunday. U.S. officials have indicated the aircraft could return to the region if needed.

The move follows the memorandum of understanding reached with Iran and more optimistic security assessments. As a result, the number of airline tickets potentially facing cancellation has dropped significantly. The Airports Authority now estimates that roughly 100,000 tickets could be canceled, compared to projections last week that as many as 400,000 tickets could be canceled during July alone.

Last week, the Airports Authority warned that the continued presence of U.S. tanker aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport could severely impact civilian aviation operations. During an emergency meeting, officials cautioned that the occupation of aircraft parking positions by the American tankers could worsen congestion and lead to major disruptions. The authority further warned that as many as 2.2 million tickets could be be canceled between July and October if the situation continued.

Airport officials noted that Ben Gurion is operating under heavy demand and warned that any reduction in available parking positions or operational capacity could affect airlines and travelers. Concerns were also raised about the continuing impact of the security situation on Israel’s aviation sector, which has faced significant challenges since the outbreak of the war.

Sources familiar with the matter said ongoing coordination is taking place between civilian and security authorities in an effort to minimize disruptions and allow Ben Gurion Airport to continue operating as normally as possible.

The developments come days after Channel 13 reported that Transportation Minister Miri Regev sharply criticized Trump during a discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu and senior government officials. According to that report, Regev complained that Trump “isn’t attacking, and he’s also taking over the airport,” and criticized the continued presence of the U.S. tanker aircraft at Ben Gurion, saying, “This has no form. At least move the tankers out of here.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)