Updates on the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East; tremendous amount of firepower for "negotiations."
U.S. Air Force
• Roughly 110 C-17 transport flights, 5 flights by C-5M Super Galaxy heavy-lift, and numerous C-130J/H flights have moved troops and equipment into the region.
• Up to 20 aerial refuelling aircraft (KC-135s and KC-46s) are now based in or near the theatre, primarily at Al Udeid AB, Qatar, and Diego Garcia.
• 4× U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II aircraft, operated by Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) units, have been deployed to Muwaffaq al-Salti Air Base in Jordan and Diego Garcia.
• 3× E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) aircraft are currently deployed: two at Prince Sultan AB, Saudi Arabia, and one arrived today at Chania, Greece.
• 1× RC-135 Rivet Joint airborne Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) platform has deployed to Al Udeid AB, though it has not yet begun intelligence-gathering operations focused on Iran.
• 1× Boeing WC-135R Constant Phoenix, also known as the ‘nuke sniffer’, has been deployed to RAF Mildenhall in the UK. The aircraft is designed to detect radioactive particles and gaseous debris in the atmosphere to monitor nuclear activity.
• 6× F-35A fighters are expected to deploy to the Middle East soon and are currently staged at Naval Station Rota, Spain.
• 4× EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft are already deployed to Muwaffaq al-Salti AB, Jordan, with two additional Growlers currently at Morón AB, Spain, expected to follow.
• Other warplanes already operating in the region include +35? F-15E Strike Eagles and some A-10C Thunderbolt IIs attack aircraft at Muwaffq al-Salti AB in Jordan.
Air Defense Deployments
• More than 40 of the roughly 110 strategic airlift flights tracked so far, involving C-17A and C-5M, are assessed to be transporting U.S. air defense systems.
• At least six new C-17A flights recorded by social media account @TheIntelFrog originated from Kadena AB in Japan, suggesting the movement of THAAD and MIM-104 Patriot systems from the USINDOPACOM to the CENTCOM.
• Air defense deployments are likely focused on key U.S. bases/installations in the region, including Al Udeid (Qatar), Prince Sultan (Saudi Arabia), Ali Al Salem (Kuwait), Isa Air Base (Bahrain), and Muwaffaq al-Salti (Jordan).
Some Observers are now publicly claiming that "Every air defense system available from US mainland to Europe to Japan has been moved to defend Israel. Everything they have is in theater now and resupplying these will take a decade or more." If true, the continental USA, Europe, and Japan are left almost defenseless!
U.S. Navy
• The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, including the aircraft carrier and three Arleigh Burke–class destroyers, is still operating in the Arabian Sea off Oman.
• 2× Arleigh Burke–class destroyers are positioned in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
• An additional Arleigh Burke–class destroyer is now operating in the Red Sea or the Gulf of Aqaba, while another is stationed in the Mediterranean to support Israel and provide air and missile defense coverage.
• The USS Georgia, an Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine capable of carrying over 150 Tomahawk cruise missiles, is believed to be operating somewhere in the region, possibly in the Mediterranean.
Using "Negotiations" to Exhaust Political Legitimacy
According to Yediot Ahronot, Israel believes the US is using negotiations as a way to exhaust political legitimacy before turning to military action. If talks fail, Trump could argue that all diplomatic options were tried and that Iran’s refusal leaves no alternative but force.
This assessment is reinforced by the unprecedented US military buildup in the region, costing tens of billions of dollars - far exceeding preparations once made against Venezuela - suggesting Washington views military action as a realistic option.
h/t Egypt's Intel Observer
