At least ten US Air Force aerial refueling aircraft are currently active over the Persian Gulf, according to the Abu Saleh Arabic Desk. The report does not specify whether they are accompanying combat aircraft or what their specific mission is. The activity comes amid the ongoing US air campaign against Iran, Operation Epic Fury.
The number of active US aerial tankers over the Persian Gulf has grown to at least ten, according to a new report from the Abu Saleh Arabic Desk. This marks an increase from the six tankers — KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46 Pegasus aircraft — that were reported over the same area earlier today at 19:58 UTC, accompanied by fighter jets and arriving as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reached CENTCOM headquarters. The new report does not specify whether the ten tankers are escorting combat aircraft, but the higher count suggests a sustained or intensified phase of the US air campaign, Operation Epic Fury. A separate bulletin from the same desk at 22:16 UTC reported that the first wave of strikes had ended and a second wave was underway, potentially supported by this tanker concentration.
The thread began with an unverified report from analyst Yair Goldblatt at 18:44 UTC describing heavy tanker movements across the Middle East. Within the same minute, The Zioneer reported six tankers over the Gulf and Israel, and the Pentagon's confirmation of Hegseth's arrival at CENTCOM. The initial single-source reports have since been corroborated by multiple channels — the Abu Saleh desk, Iranian sources, and flight tracking accounts — though no US official has commented on the specific number of tankers or their mission.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, the broader US military footprint includes 50,000 troops in the region, with two aircraft carriers and 18 destroyers deployed. Intensive US aerial activity has been reported over multiple Iraqi cities since June 9, and a senior US official stated on June 9 that the operation is ongoing with preparations for additional strikes. Heavy fighter jet activity over Iraq was reported as recently as 21:16 UTC today.
It remains unclear whether the ten tankers are directly supporting the second wave of strikes or conducting a separate mission. No official confirmation of the count, their payload, or their specific flight path has been provided by the Pentagon or US Central Command.
5 developments
- DevelopingUAE aerial refueling tanker seen circling east of Abu Dhabi during US Iran campaign
- StrongIntensive US aerial activity reported over multiple Iraqi cities
- StrongUnusual US aerial activity detected over the Persian Gulf: tanker, AWACS, signals and maritime patrol aircraft identified
- DevelopingIran releases footage of US fighter jets flying over Kish Island
Source and signal
- Internal intake