US pours $1.5 billion into building secretive sprawling Israeli military bases

The US is overseeing a sprawling military construction initiative in Israel, with projects valued at more than $1.5 billion, funded entirely through American aid, Haaretz has revealed citing newly surfaced documents from the US Army Corps of Engineers.

The massive infrastructure programme includes the construction of airbase runways, helicopter hangars, ammunition storage, command centres, and a new headquarters for Israel’s elite naval commando unit, Shayetet 13. The project is being financed through military assistance provided under the terms of the $3.8 billion annual aid package agreed in 2016 by former US President Barack Obama.

Haaretz, which first reported the story, notes that the US military aid is also covering upgrades to accommodate Israel’s new fleet of CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters and KC-46 Pegasus refuelling aircraft. In one instance, contractors were told that the tender, worth $900 million, would fund facilities linked to Israel’s expanded squadrons of F-15IA and F-35 fighter jets.

Though the tenders are formally awarded to American firms, the bulk of construction work is subcontracted to Israeli companies. More than 20 separate projects are underway or planned, according to the US Army Corps’ documents and presentations. Many are said to be operating under coded designations to obscure their precise locations.

The building spree contradicts mounting demands in the US for a foreign policy realignment focused on domestic priorities. Calls from across the political spectrum, especially among supporters of the “America First” movement, have urged Washington to halt or condition aid to Israel amid its ongoing genocide in Gaza, which has killed over 57,000 Palestinians.

Read: The devil’s advocate: US aid and assistance to Israel post-7 October

Yet despite US officials claiming the aid is for mutual security, the scale of America’s construction projects in Israel shows something else entirely: deep, long-term military entrenchment.

Take Tel Nof Airbase, for instance. A US-funded project there—referred to in documents as “Site 20136”, involves major upgrades to prepare for Israel’s new CH-53K military helicopters. This means building new hangars, expanding runways and setting up advanced maintenance areas.

Another project, called “Tama 38/58,” is focused on overhauling Israeli army facilities used to repair tanks and other armoured vehicles. Although it shares its name with Israeli urban planning codes, this US-funded “Tama” project has nothing to do with civilian infrastructure, it’s purely military.

And that’s just the beginning. Other US-backed initiatives include constructing new piers for the Israeli Navy, building underground bunkers, expanding weapons storage, and even renovating housing for US personnel stationed at Israeli bases. One massive site known as “Site 911” is an underground command centre, built with millions in American taxpayer money. Another, “Site 81,” is a secret facility beneath a building in central Tel Aviv.

Together, these projects paint a clear picture: the US isn’t just supporting Israel with weapons—it’s physically building the infrastructure of Israel’s military power, on Israeli soil, with American money.

The scale of US military construction in Israel has drawn renewed scrutiny amid shifting public opinion and calls from lawmakers for greater transparency. The expansion of this infrastructure raises ongoing questions about the scope, cost and strategic intent of US security assistance to Israel.

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