THE United States (US) military has moved a large number of refueling aircraft to Europe to provide options to President Donald Trump as Middle East tensions soar, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, June 16, speaking on condition of anonymity.
AirNav systems, a flight tracking website, said on Sunday evening that over 31 US Air Force refueling aircraft, primarily KC-135s and KC-45s, left the US, heading east.
The officials declined to comment on the number of aircraft, but confirmed that 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 over 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 that is seeing civilian casualties mount on both sides.
“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 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.”
The US has been cautious so far, helping Israel knock down incoming missiles. But Trump vetoed an Israeli plan in recent days to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, two U. officials told Reuters on Sunday.
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