The United States plans to invest over $1.5 billion in infrastructure projects at Israeli military bases, marking one of the largest American defense investment packages for an allied nation. This news was reported by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which stated that the projects will be managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and fully financed by U.S. military aid funds provided to Tel Aviv.
These investments aim to improve the reception capabilities of Israeli bases, adapting them for new military assets and systems, including state-of-the-art fighter jets.
Project Scope and Key Beneficiaries
A conference for contractors eligible for approximately $250 million of these projects was initially scheduled for June but was postponed due to tensions between Israel and Iran. Meanwhile, the remaining investments, totaling over $1 billion, are in various stages of planning and implementation. Official documents indicate that several beneficiary bases have already been identified.
The primary focus remains on the modernization of the Israeli Air Force. The Tel Nof airbase is expected to be one of the largest beneficiaries, with up to $100 million potentially invested there to accommodate American Boeing KC-46 aerial refueling aircraft, which will replace the aging Boeing 707 fleet in use for over half a century.
The project also includes the construction of a new headquarters for the Shayetet 13 naval special forces, new ammunition depots, renovation of armored vehicle maintenance centers, and new military clinics.
Context of U.S. Military Aid to Israel
These developments fall within the framework of a 10-year agreement signed in 2016 during the Obama administration, which projected $38 billion in aid to Israel from 2019 to 2028. However, following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent Israeli offensive in Gaza, aid has significantly increased.
According to Brown University data, by September 2024, the U.S. had provided over $23 billion in additional aid to Israel, including support for operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen. In January 2025, the U.S. Congress approved a new package worth $26 billion, of which $4 billion was exclusively dedicated to Israeli missile defense systems.
Under official military aid policy, U.S. funds must primarily be spent on U.S. defense companies, which can then subcontract other companies, including Israeli ones.
There are precedents for such cooperation: in 2012, the U.S. built an underground complex codenamed “Site 911” at the Nevatim airbase. Other classified projects have been revealed in recent years, such as a secret base near Tel Aviv and military structures in southern Israel near Gaza, as reported by The Intercept in September 2023.
While official Washington views this support as an essential part of its commitment to Israel’s security and the preservation of strategic interests in the Middle East, growing criticism is emerging from both political sides regarding transparency, the scale of aid, and the humanitarian cost of the war in Gaza.
