JERUSALEM, May 11 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has urged the government to remove U.S. military aircraft from Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, warning that their presence is severely disrupting the country's civilian aviation sector, Israeli business daily Calcalist and Channel 12 News reported Monday.
The demand was conveyed in a letter from CAA Director General Shmuel Zakay to Transport Minister Miri Regev.
A spokesperson for the minister confirmed to Xinhua that the letter had been received and verified its contents.
In the letter, Zakay said the airport had effectively "become an American military airfield," harming airline operations and delaying the return of foreign carriers to Israel.
He called for the U.S. aircraft to be relocated to Israeli air force bases and Ramon Airport near the southern city of Eilat.
Meanwhile, an Israeli military helicopter was forced to remain on the ground in southern Lebanon on Monday because of a technical fault, the military said.
The incident occurred during an Israeli Air Force evacuation mission after Hezbollah targeted troops in southern Lebanon with an explosive drone.
The military said a second helicopter was dispatched to evacuate the wounded soldiers. Air Force personnel later repaired the fault, and the first helicopter took off safely.
The helicopter was not hit by Hezbollah fire, the military added.
Despite a fragile ceasefire, Israel intensified its bombardment of Beirut's southern suburbs on Thursday, saying it was targeting Hezbollah sites.
According to official Israeli figures, four Israeli civilians and 18 soldiers have been killed in Hezbollah attacks since fighting resumed on March 2. In Lebanon, Israeli attacks have killed at least 2,846 people and wounded 8,693 others, the Lebanese Health Ministry said Sunday. ■
