Why the Iranian Claim of Israeli Planes in Tabuk Saudi Arabia Is Bunk

There's no question that the war jitters in the Middle East are a little stronger these days. Add to the swirling rumors the new claim made by the Islam Times that Israeli aircraft were seen last week at the Saudi airfield in Tabuk unloading equipment.

There's little doubt that Iran is behind the Islam Times' charge that "Saudi Arabia’s measures to allow Israel to use their country in order to harm the resistance movements in the region is something that has enflamed Muslims throughout the world in recent years."

Middle East intrigue sometimes creates strange political bedfellows, but Israel's use of the Tabuk base makes little sense, simply because it doesn't benefit Israel. Tabuk is located in northwest Saudi Arabia and 800 miles from Iran. It doesn't cut any flying time from Israel to Iran. If -- and that's a big if -- Israel wanted to attack from Saudi Arabia, there are other Saudi bases closer to Iran, such as the Prince Sultan base near Riyadh or the Dhahran base close to the Gulf. And, if Israel plans to attack Iran, and if Israel couldn't accomplish the task with mid-air refueling, there may be other bases in the region that would be better.

Tabuk is so close to Israel -- about 150 kilometers -- that when the U.S. sold F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in 1982 there was a ban on basing the jets in Tabuk. Legend has it that Israeli planes overflew Tabuk dropping spent fuel tanks on the base as a reminder of the base's vulnerability. (Empty fuel tanks falling from under an aircraft's wing could look like something much more lethal, and the Royal Laundry at the base probably had to put on a second shift to clean the soiled trousers that day.)

In 2003, the Saudi Royal Air Force moved the bulk of its F-15s to Tabuk with U.S. permission and tacit Israeli accession.

The winds of war may be blowing stronger in the Middle East, but the Tabuk story appears to be hot air.

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