The US military is pulling roughly 20% of its refueling and cargo aircraft out of Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport, a direct consequence of the tentative ceasefire deal struck between Washington and Tehran. That translates to approximately 14 planes from a fleet of 72 that have been parked at Israel’s primary civilian airport since tensions boiled over earlier this year.
The aircraft are expected to relocate to bases in Europe within 72 hours of the deal’s finalization.
What happened and why it matters
The US-Iran agreement, announced around June 15, includes the re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil chokepoints.
The 72 refuelers and cargo planes were originally deployed to Ben Gurion following US-Israeli strikes on February 28, 2026. Those strikes triggered a rapid military buildup designed to signal American commitment to Israel’s defense against Iranian retaliation.
