A US general landed in Shannon on his way to advise the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) weeks before it resumed its assault on Gaza.
General Michael "Erik” Kurilla, US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander, stopped in the county Clare airport on 4 March on his way to Israel.
During a two-day visit to Israel on 5-6 March, Kurilla met with senior security officials including the country’s new defence minister Israel Katz. Earlier this week Katz threatened the people of Gaza with further violence and destruction.
“Gaza residents, this is a final warning. The first Sinwar destroyed Gaza and the second Sinwar will completely destroy it,” Katz said, as reported by The Times of Israel.
“The Air Force strikes against Hamas terrorists were just the first step. It will become much more difficult and you will pay the full price.”
Not Kurilla’s first stop in Shannon
Flight records show CENTCOM's military aircraft, registration 02-0042 and flight number SAM055, left Tampa, Florida on 3 March at 5.09pm and landed in Shannon at 5.18am after an eight-hour flight.
A separate military aircraft with call sign RCH1889 later departed Ramstein Air Base in Germany, landing in Shannon at 1.28am on 4 March before returning to Ramstein on 5 March after picking up the CENTCOM commander. Kurilla then flew to Israel from Germany.
Kurilla also attended the handover ceremony in Tel Aviv where lieutenant general Eyal Zamir took over as the IDF's 24th chief of staff from Herzi Halevi.
This wasn't Kurilla's first time stopping in Shannon on his way to Israel. In April last year The Ditch reported that the general travelled to Israel through Shannon on a C17 Globemaster – a military cargo plane frequently used to transport munitions.
A CENTCOM statement about his most recent trip said Kurilla “discussed continued efforts to deepen the military partnership between the United States and Israel and increase interoperability” between the US and Israel.
It also said, “Gen. Kurilla reiterated the ironclad military-to-military relationship” between the countries. He went on to travel to Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia before returning to the US.
Earlier this week Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported that Israel has killed at least 50,021 Palestinians with 113,274 wounded. In February 2024 the International Court of Justice determined that claims Israel is committing genocide, brought by South Africa, were credible.
The court has ordered the country to take “immediate and effective measures” to ensure it doesn’t commit genocide.
The Department of Transport has been contacted for comment.
