Transportation Minister Miri Regev announced at noon on Wednesday that "the saga of the refuelers has ended". According to Regev's statement by next Tuesday the number of refueling aircraft parked at Ben Gurion Airport will drop to the agreed figure and the remaining refuelers will be moved to IDF bases at locations allocated by the Defense Ministry. Officials at the ministry said there is no final agreement on limiting the number to only 20 refuelers at Ben Gurion Airport and that further discussions are required before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaches a decision.

At last night's cabinet meeting a dispute arose over the American refueling aircraft parked at Ben Gurion Airport after some in the IDF argued that the American request was justified. Transportation Minister Regev told Defense Minister Israel Katz: "With all due respect a balance must be struck between security and civilian needs. If there were a war there would be no question at all but there is no war and in this reality of 'no war' we cannot harm civilians".

Regev noted that there are places where the refuelers could be parked and claimed: "You do not care that civilians are harmed. The air force is not making an effort". Minister Katz replied: "We are trying but it is problematic. We have done what we can". Regev indicated that the Americans are due to remove the excess refuelers by next Tuesday so that their number at Ben Gurion Airport will stand at 20 unless the security situation changes. She warned that failure to reduce the number to 20 as agreed would harm the ability to operate civilian flights.

Ultimately the cabinet discussed the departure of the additional refuelers from Ben Gurion Airport by Tuesday but according to the Defense Ministry the matter has not yet been finalized. In the first stage National Security Council head Shmuel Ben Ezra was tasked with immediately removing four refuelers. Netanyahu said during the meeting that Regev and Katz would sit together with the National Security Council head and "the matter must be closed. It must be remembered that this is a civilian airport and the IDF must find a location for the refuelers".

In the United States there was anger in the past day over an Israeli decision to bar additional refuelers from landing at Ben Gurion Airport with officials saying the decision harms the operational needs of American forces operating in the region amid the escalation with Iran. They stated that the refueling aircraft are an essential component of the regional deterrence and defense array. A senior military source backed the Americans last night and told ynet: "The American demand is justified. The refueling aircraft are a strategic asset of the United States in the region and they are an inseparable part of the joint preparations against Iran. Operationally it is important that they can operate under the conditions set by the Americans".

The crisis erupted after the evacuation of American refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport was frozen. The move had been intended to free parking positions for civilian aviation at the peak of the summer season. Currently 33 American refueling aircraft are parked at Ben Gurion Airport occupying positions also used by civilian planes.