A number of U.S. aerial refuelling aircraft, reportedly including 12 KC-135s and 4 KC-46s, were spotted flying east over the continental United States, en route to the Middle East.
These tankers were joined by several Gulfstream command-and-control aircraft, signalling a major military operation.
This large-scale movement suggests the U.S. Air Force is conducting one of its largest transatlantic deployments of aerial refuelling assets.
The operation comes amid heightened tensions in the region due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran.
Flight tracking data from late Sunday indicates the number of tankers heading east reached at least 30, with the trend continuing into the night.
U.S. Joins Iran-Israel War
These aircraft play a vital role in long-range missions, providing the in-flight refueling necessary for combat aircraft, such as Israeli fighter jets striking targets deep inside Iran.
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In a related development, Israel is believed to have carried out a targeted strike on an Iranian refueling aircraft located at an airport in Mashhad, near the Iranian borders with Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
Satellite imagery analysed by The New York Times shows a Boeing 707 intact at the military airfield earlier in the day, followed by footage showing the same aircraft engulfed in flames.
An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed the strike, stating the Air Force is actively working to establish air dominance throughout Iran.
Trump on Iran-Israel War
This comes a day after Jewish billionaire Bill Ackman showed his support for Israel by asking U.S. President Donald Trump to support Iran at this critical time with the “equipment and armaments to complete the job.”
“The parade was great. Our military is incredible. And now Israel needs our help to destroy Iran’s nuclear threat to the world,” the philanthropist posted on his official X account.
Also Read: Boots on the Ground, US Donald Trump Asked to Attack Iran
Trump had warned Iran to agree to a nuclear deal and stated that the U.S. was not involved in recent Israeli strikes on Iran, indicating a preference for diplomatic solutions over military action at this stage
In a statement released on his official X account on Friday, June 13, Trump said he had given Iran “chance after chance” to make a deal.
“I told them, in the strongest of words, to ‘just do it,’ but no matter how hard they tried, no matter how close they got, they just couldn’t get it done,” he said.
“I told them it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come and they know how to use it.”
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