TEL AVIV (Dispatches) -- The United States has begun relocating aerial refueling aircraft from Israeli-occupied territories after deploying them to support the disastrous war on Iran—a humiliating retreat that exposes the unsustainable costs of American military adventurism across West Asia.
Israel’s N12 news website reported Thursday that the U.S. Air Force is moving tanker aircraft that had been stationed at Ben Gurion Airport in recent weeks. 
The official reason? Israeli transportation minister Miri Regev demanded the space back to handle summer passenger traffic. But the subtext is unmistakable: American military assets are becoming liabilities, not just for Washington but for its allies hosting them.
The relocation follows earlier reports that Washington withdrew warplanes and equipment from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and Al Dhafra Air Base in the UAE after Iranian retaliatory strikes targeted American positions. 
Satellite imagery confirmed both installations were largely emptied of U.S. aircraft—a devastating blow to the Pentagon’s regional posture.
Al Udeid, the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command, and Al Dhafra, a key reconnaissance hub, played central roles in supporting U.S.-Israeli aggression against Iran that began February 28. Iran responded with daily waves of missiles and drones, imposing restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz and hammering American bases across the region.
The Pentagon is now reportedly considering reducing its military presence in Kuwait after repeated Iranian strikes inflicted significant losses on American forces. 
According to The Wall Street Journal, the attacks have fueled debate over the future of U.S. military footprint in the Persian Gulf. Former U.S. ambassador Douglas Silliman admitted, “The attacks have made people in Kuwait think of the U.S. presence as a liability.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli regime faces its own crisis. A Tel Aviv University study found over 90,000 people left the occupied territories for three consecutive months or more in 2025—the third straight year of mass emigration. 
“Doctors, tech workers, and academics no longer see Israel as their home,” warned Prof. Itai Ater. “I’m worried. We’re ringing all the bells.”
The withdrawals tell a single story: US-Israeli aggression has backfired spectacularly. Washington’s bases are being evacuated, its aircraft are in retreat, and its regional allies view American presence as a dangerous liability rather than a guarantee of security—all while Iran continues to dictate the terms of engagement across West Asia.