Ben-Gurion International Airport, Israel’s main air gateway near Tel Aviv, is operating at about one-third of capacity due to the presence of US refuelling aircraft, threatening heavy flight cancellations this summer, the head of the Israel Airports Authority said on Thursday.

Sharon Kedmi, director general of the authority, told Kan’s Reshet Bet radio station that 70 per cent of activity at the airport is limited because of the space and resources being taken up by American military activity.

“We are only utilizing one-third of the airport’s operational capacity,” he said. “We are at the limit of our capabilities. There will be flights that we will announce in the coming days that are being cancelled.”

Foreign carriers will not be able to return soon, and as many as 3 million passengers will see their flights cancelled, he added.