Pentagon Renovates Israeli Air Base To Make Room For New Boeing Military Jets
The US Department of Defense is building aircraft facilities in Israel to accommodate new US-made KC-46A Pegasus refueling tanker planes that could assist in an attack on Iran, The Intercept reported Friday.
Army Corps of Engineers documents show new buildings will be constructed and existing buildings will be upgraded, including hangars, warehouses, and storage facilities, at a military base in the south of Israel.
The project includes "establishing and adapting aviation and maintenance infrastructure for the KC-46," including the construction of five new concrete and steel structures, the documents show.
Four Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft will be delivered to Israel in 2026 to replace its fleet of aging Boeing 707 passenger planes that the Israeli Air Force currently uses for midair refueling of fighter aircraft.
Israel will purchase the planes from Boeing at a cost of 1$ billion using funds provided by the US Congress to buy US-made weapons.
The Intercept notes that the "purchase of the KC-46As was seen as a signal of Israel’s determination to increase its capacity to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities."
On Thursday, the US Statement Department announced it approved an additional $165 million in weapons sales to Israel to fund heavy-duty tank trailers, the AP reported.
The systems include spare and repair parts, tool kits and technical and logistics support to be delivered in 2027.
Earlier this year, the US announced a massive $20 billion weapons support package for Israel, which will include F-15 fighter jets, Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, or AMRAAMs, 120 mm tank ammunition, and high explosive mortars and tactical vehicles.
The first delivery of the weapons included in the packages is not expected until 2026. Washington’s support for Tel Aviv has remained unshakable since the beginning of Israel war on Gaza in October last year.
Israel’s horrific bombing and siege of Gaza has killed a reported over 40,000 Palestinians, the majority women and children, according to local health sources.
In addition to the vast death toll, more than 22,500 people in Gaza have suffered life-changing injuries requiring rehabilitation services "now and for years to come," the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Thursday. These include severe limb injuries, amputations, spinal cord trauma, traumatic brain injuries, and major burns.
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