ˈæftɚ ðɪ ɪzɹˈeɪli dˌɛklɚɹˈeɪʃən ʌv ˌɪndᵻpˈɛndəns ˌɔn fˈoːɹtiːn mˈeɪ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi ˈeɪt ænd ðə stˈɑːɹt ʌvðə fˈɜːst ˈæɹəb ɪzɹˈeɪli wˈɔːɹ ðə nˈɛkst dˈeɪ, ðə bˈeɪs wʌz tˌɛmpɚɹˈɛɹᵻli meɪntˈeɪnd baɪ ðɪ ˌɑːɹɹˌeɪˈɛf tə kˈʌvɚ ðə wɪθdɹˈɔːl ʌv bɹˈɪɾɪʃ fˈoːɹsᵻz fɹʌm pˈæləstˌaɪn.
After the Israeli Declaration of Independence on 14 May 1948 and the start of the First Arab–Israeli War the next day, the base was temporarily maintained by the RAF to cover the withdrawal of British forces from Palestine.