Following Israel’s strikes on Iran, President Trump may deploy US bombers to the Middle East, marking a major air power buildup amid rising regional tensions and potential escalation.
President Donald Trump abruptly left the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada on Monday, just hours after the United States Air Force deployed around KC-135 Stratotankers and KC-46A Pegasus aerial-refueling aircraft to Europe, leading to speculation that the tankers could be positioned for US airstrikes on Iran.
It was last Friday that Israel began its Operation Rising Lion, which struck multiple positions within the Islamic Republic, reportedly doing significant damage to Tehran’s nuclear program. At the same time, it also crippled the Middle Eastern nation’s air defense network.
US Bomber Aircrafts Are Sent to the Indian Ocean
The US has positioned at least six Northrop B-2 Spirit bombers at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. There has been no indication that other bombers could be deployed to Europe or the Middle East; however, the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has maintained a regular presence in the region. In addition, B-2 Spirits and B-52s have conducted CONUS-to-CONUS missions in the past, and the aerial tankers would be well-positioned to support such a mission.
It is unclear if Trump, who campaigned on vowing not to allow the US to get involved in so-called forever wars, including those in the Middle East, would order strikes to ensure the complete and total destruction of Iran’s nuclear program. However, the president told reporters on Air Force One on the way back to Washington that he wanted to see a “real end” to the current conflict between Israel and Iran rather than a ceasefire.
Trump has claimed that the Islamic Republic was close to a deal regarding the future of its nuclear program, but he also urged the 9.4 million residents in Tehran to flee the city. Traffic has clogged roads within the Iranian capital.
US Bomber Aircrafts Are Sent Across Europe
The 30 aerial refueling aircraft are now reported to be positioned at several strategic locations in Europe, including Ramstein Air Base in Germany, Morón Air Base and Naval Air Station Rota in Spain, Aviano Air Base in Italy, Prestwick International Airport in the United Kingdom, and Souda Bay in Greece.
On Tuesday afternoon, reports indicated that the tankers could be joined by dozens of the United States Air Force’s multi-role fighters, including the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor, and F-35 Lightning II. All those aircraft have ground strike capability, but could also protect the bombers above that could be deployed in sorties over Iran.
US officials told Reuters that the deployment of the fighters to Europe was “defensive in nature,” and that the fighters have been primarily employed to destroy aerial threats, including drones that have been targeted at Israel.
The land-based fighters would be in addition to the air wings of the US Navy’s supercarriers. Currently, the USS Carl Vinson is operating in the Arabian Sea, and last weekend, a scheduled port visit to Vietnam by the USS Nimitz was canceled. The latter carrier was transiting the Strait of Malacca and was reportedly heading to the Middle East. Both nuclear-powered aircraft carriers have embarked air wings of Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets, while the USS Carl Vinson has deployed F-35C Lightning IIs, the carrier-based version of the Joint Strike Fighter.
This marks the region’s most enormous buildup of US air power since the military withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a thirty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image Credit: Shutterstock/Michael Candelori.
