Transportation Minister Miri Regev escalated her criticism of the US administration, calling for the removal of American refueling aircraft from Israeli airports. 'Our airports have become US military bases... The American administration needs to decide what to do; the refueling planes can't stay here until 2027,' she said, Wednesday.
Transportation Minister Miri Regev on Wednesday called for the immediate departure of US Air Force refueling aircraft stationed at Israeli airports, accusing the American administration of turning civilian airports into military bases. 'They might cancel thousands of flights in the near future. They should be removed from Israel as long as there is no security tension,' Regev said. The statement escalates a public rift with the Trump administration that began when Regev criticized the US for parking tankers at Ben Gurion Airport instead of striking Iran.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Wednesday, Regev had warned that airlines would be forced to cancel flights starting Tuesday due to a fuel truck shortage — a crisis she now links directly to the presence of US refueling aircraft. Regev's latest remarks go further, explicitly demanding a timeline for the US withdrawal of its tanker fleet, which she says should not remain until 2027.
The comments come amid heightened regional tensions following US strikes on Iranian air defense systems around the Strait of Hormuz and the downing of a US Apache helicopter. The IRGC has threatened to strike 'American sources of fire operating from Israel,' placing Israeli airports at the center of a potential confrontation.
Regev's position is not yet an official government policy. No response from the Prime Minister's Office or the US administration has been reported.
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