An immense amount of US airlift activity to the Middle East is ongoing, according to a report. The assessment suggests the United States is preparing for a significant escalation in the region. The scale and duration of the airlift are not specified, but the report underscores a continued buildup.
A report circulating overnight confirms the ongoing massive US airlift to the Middle East, assessing that the Biden administration is preparing for a significant escalation. The development follows a series of reports Thursday evening, at 21:44 Jerusalem, that first described multiple aerial refueling aircraft en route from Europe and the US, and then detailed dozens of cargo planes and fighter jet overflights across Israel.
The thread began Thursday at 21:44 Jerusalem with an unverified report of a large number of aerial refueling aircraft heading to the Middle East. Shortly afterward, a second report—also unverified—added that dozens of US cargo planes had taken off from European bases and that citizens reported fighter jets over Israeli cities. The Zioneer has been tracking the US buildup for weeks: on July 18, the desk reported a large logistical reinforcement operation with an F-16 squadron landing in Jordan. On July 9, multiple US aircraft conducted aerial refueling maneuvers over Persian Gulf states. An analyst assessment on June 28 described the ongoing airlift as the largest in US military history, surpassing the 2003 Iraq war in scale.
Background: The Zioneer reported on July 18 that the US had launched a large reinforcement operation, with additional F-35 and F-16 squadrons expected to deploy. Earlier, on July 9, refueling operations were reported over Bahrain. The June 28 analyst assessment noted the airlift had been running around the clock for 76 days and that all US strategic warehouses in the region were nearly fully loaded, suggesting preparations for a preemptive strike or ground operation.
What remains open: the specific number of aircraft, their destinations, and whether the buildup is defensive or preparatory for offensive operations remain unconfirmed. The assessments are based on single sources and have not been independently verified.
5 developments
- DevelopingMultiple US aerial refueling tankers depart Middle East
- StrongReport: Significant increase in US Air Force aircraft movements to the Middle East
- DevelopingDozens of US transport planes reportedly heading to Persian Gulf, passing over Israel
- DevelopingUS Air Force moves additional refueling tankers back to Middle East as Washington reportedly prepares to escalate Iran campaign
Source and signal
- Internal intake