Israel bars US refueling planes from Ben Gurion intl airport over congestion

JERUSALEM -- The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) on Tuesday issued a temporary directive instructing air traffic control not to approve the landing of US military aerial refueling planes at Ben Gurion International Airport, citing capacity concerns during the peak summer travel season, Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported.

According to Kan, the US military had committed last month to reducing its presence at the airport from 72 aircraft to 20. However, there are currently 34 US planes at the airport, including four that landed overnight after being evacuated from Gulf states amid renewed tensions with Iran.

IAA CEO Sharon Kedmi warned in a letter to the Transport Ministry that the US decision not to remove the remaining aircraft could result in the cancellation of around 50,000 flight tickets by the end of the month.

In mid-June, Transport Minister Miri Regev urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to ease congestion, saying US planes then occupied more than half of the airport's parking capacity.

The landing ban came amid the airport's busiest summer period, with daily passenger traffic expected to exceed 90,000 in the coming days, according to the IAA.