US bolsters Trump’s Middle East military options by moving refuelling aircraft, say officials
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
US President Donald Trump has lauded Israel’s offensive and warned Tehran not to widen its retaliation to include US targets.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Follow topic:
WASHINGTON – The US military has moved a large number of refuelling aircraft to Europe to provide options to President Donald Trump as Middle East tensions erupt into conflict between Iran and Israel, two US officials told Reuters on June 16, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The officials also said the US aircraft carrier Nimitz was heading to the Middle East, in what one of them said was a pre-planned deployment. The Nimitz can hold 5,000 personnel and more than 60 aircraft, including fighter jets.
Taken together, the deployments suggest the US is greatly strengthening its air power for potentially sustained operations as Iran and Israel trade blows in unprecedented open warfare.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, in a post on social media platform X late on June 16, said he had ordered the deployment of additional defensive capabilities to the Middle East, but did not offer specifics.
“Protecting US forces is our top priority, and these deployments are intended to enhance our defensive posture in the region,” he said.
Israel began bombing Iran
AirNav systems, a flight tracking website, said more than 31 US Air Force refuelling aircraft – primarily KC-135s and KC-46s – left the US on June 15, heading east.
The US officials declined to comment on the number of aircraft. The Pentagon referred Reuters to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The sudden eastward deployment of over two dozen US Air Force tankers is not business as usual. It’s a clear signal of strategic readiness,” said Mr Eric Schouten at Dyami Security Intelligence.
“Whether it’s about supporting Israel, preparing for long-range operations, logistics is key, this move shows the US is positioning itself for rapid escalation if tensions with Iran spill over.”
AirNav systems said the US military flights had landed in Europe, including at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and airports in Britain, Estonia and Greece.
The US has been cautious so far, helping Israel knock down incoming missiles.
Mr Trump vetoed an Israeli plan
One of them said the US did not support going after Iran’s political leadership, as long as Americans were not being targeted.
Mr Trump has lauded Israel’s offensive and warned Tehran not to widen its retaliation to include US targets.
A third US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to comment on the tanker movement but stressed that US military activities in the region were defensive in nature.
Another source familiar with the issue said the US has told regional countries that it is making defensive preparations and would switch to offensive operations if Iran strikes any US facilities.
The US already has a sizeable force in the Middle East, with nearly 40,000 troops in the region, including air defence systems, fighter aircraft and warships that can help bring down missiles.
In May, the Pentagon replaced B-2 bombers with another type of bomber at a base in the Indo-Pacific that is seen as being an ideal location to operate in the Middle East. The B-52 bombers can carry large bunker-busting munitions, which experts say can be used against Iran’s nuclear facilities. REUTERS
