Senior officials at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) have reportedly expressed frustration over Israel’s decision to halt additional landings of American aerial refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport, warning that the move could affect U.S. military operations amid the escalating conflict with Iran.

According to the report, senior CENTCOM officials contacted top IDF and Israeli defense officials after Transportation Minister Miri Regev ordered that no additional U.S. refueling aircraft be permitted to remain at Ben Gurion beyond those already in the country.

American officials reportedly argued that the aircraft are a critical component of the U.S. military’s regional deterrence and operational capabilities, particularly as American forces continue operations against Iran.

Sources familiar with the matter said U.S. officials were especially upset that one refueling aircraft already in Israel was required to depart instead of remaining on the ground.

A senior Israeli military official told *Ynet* that the American request is justified, saying, “The refueling aircraft are a strategic asset of the United States in the region, and they are an integral part of the joint preparations against Iran. Operationally, it is important that they be able to operate under the conditions determined by the Americans.”

The dispute began after Israeli officials sought to reduce the number of U.S. refueling aircraft parked at Ben Gurion in order to free parking stands for civilian aviation during the busy summer travel season. Four additional U.S. aircraft landed overnight, bringing the total number of American refueling aircraft at the airport to 33.

Following a security assessment on Tuesday, Regev instructed her ministry not to approve additional refueling aircraft beyond those already in Israel. The Transportation Ministry said the decision was intended to minimize disruptions to civilian air travel and prevent the cancellation of tens of thousands of airline tickets during August.

An Israeli official told the outlet that while the request to relocate some aircraft may have been reasonable before the United States became directly involved in the fighting against Iran, the situation has now changed.

Military officials also stressed that this is a particularly sensitive period in U.S.-Israel relations, with one saying, “They changed their offensive operations against Iran, and full cooperation with our partner was expected.”

The Transportation Ministry later clarified that an additional American refueling aircraft that landed Tuesday did so only for refueling purposes and not to remain parked at the airport. The ministry added that the decision to limit the number of refueling aircraft stationed at Ben Gurion to 20 had been approved by Israel’s Security Cabinet to preserve airport capacity for civilian travel.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)