The U.S. Air Force has reportedly started relocating some of its aerial refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport after Israeli officials raised concerns that their presence was straining airport operations during one of the busiest travel seasons since the October 7 attacks.

According to a Channel 12 News report, the relocation began in recent weeks following pressure from Transportation Minister Miri Regev, who urged defense officials to move the aircraft in order to ensure normal airport operations as passenger traffic continues to surge.

Ben Gurion Airport is expected to handle more than 2.6 million travelers during August, making it one of the busiest months the airport has experienced since the October 7 massacre.

Airport authorities estimate that approximately 100,000 passengers will pass through the airport each day throughout the month, with Thursdays expected to be the busiest, along with Monday, August 17.

Last month, the Israel Airports Authority warned that failure to relocate the American aircraft according to an agreed-upon timetable would create a critical shortage of parking positions for commercial airliners beginning July 23. Officials cautioned that the shortage could have resulted in the cancellation of roughly 10 flights per day, disrupting travel for about 50,000 passengers by the end of July.

The IDF later confirmed that additional U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft would be arriving in Israel. Unlike previous deployments, however, the new aircraft were slated to operate from Israeli Air Force bases rather than Ben Gurion Airport in an effort to reduce interference with civilian air traffic.

In a statement, the IDF said, “The American partner has decided to adjust its force posture in the region, and in coordination with the IDF, it was decided to add additional refueling aircraft to the existing fleet already stationed in Israel.”

The military added that basing the aircraft at Israeli Air Force facilities was intended both to meet operational needs and to lessen the burden on Ben Gurion Airport’s commercial operations.

At the same time, the United States is continuing to strengthen its military presence in the Middle East by deploying additional aerial refueling aircraft, while reports indicate that American fighter jets are also making their way to the region through Europe.

According to the report, the U.S. military currently operates about 30 refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport and another 30 at Ramon Air Base in southern Israel. The additional deployments are expected to restore America’s in-country aerial refueling capacity to levels seen at the beginning of the conflict. Axios reported that U.S. Central Command prefers operating from Ben Gurion because of its superior infrastructure and enhanced security compared to other regional bases that are considered more vulnerable to potential Iranian attacks.