Images showed the presence of more than 50 US refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, alongside Israeli military aircraft, according to a report by the Financial Times.
The report said that the military buildup began before the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, but it continued "and even expanded" even after the ceasefire announcement.
It explained that the refueling aircraft are used to support long-range sorties by refuel fighters mid-air, indicating the maintenance of high operational readiness.
According to the newspaper, the use of a major civilian airport for this scale of military activity raised concern within the Israeli aviation sector due to its impact on civilian flights and potential security risks. The newspaper pointed out that
the continued US presence could extend until 2027, amid legal and security fears of turning the airport into a potential military target in any new escalation.
The report noted that Israel possesses other military bases such as Nevatim and Ramon, and the reason behind the heavy reliance on Ben Gurion Airport remains unclear.
