US may withdraw military aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport if Iran deal reached: Report

The US has informed Israel of its intention to withdraw all its military aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv if an agreement with Iran is signed, according to a report.

"The US fleet will be evacuated within 72 hours to bases in Europe, and the aircraft will be placed on standby to return to Ben Gurion Airport if fighting with Iran resumes," Israel's Channel 12 reported.

No official comment has been issued by Israeli or US authorities regarding the report.

However, Israeli civilian airlines have recently complained about the large number of US military aircraft at the airport.

In recent weeks, Israeli media published images of dozens of US military refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport.

Channel 12 also reported that Transport Minister Miri Regev recently sent an urgent letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, calling for the immediate removal of US refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport.

In her letter, Regev said the presence of the aircraft is causing “serious harm to civilian airport operations,” especially as foreign airlines have begun returning to Israel, according to the channel.

The developments come amid Pakistan-mediated diplomatic process between Washington and Tehran to end the war that started with US and Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28 and was followed by Iranian retaliation.

* Writing by Serdar Dincel in Istanbul