Has US moved moved jets, warships to help Israel? What we know
The United States is rapidly shifting military aircraft, warships and personnel across the Middle East to shield Israel from Iranian attacks as President Donald Trump warns Tehran that America's 'patience is wearing thin.'
In a series of social media posts, Trump declared that the US had gained 'complete and total control of the skies over Iran,' signalling the possibility of deepening US involvement in the ongoing conflict.
According to news agency AP, Washington may directly target Iran's underground nuclear facilities - most notably, the heavily fortified Fordow enrichment plant. Only the US possesses the bunker-busting GBU-57 bomb capable of striking the deep subterranean site, deliverable solely by the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
While no B-2s are currently deployed to the region, US officials say bombers could fly from Missouri's Whiteman Air Force Base for such a mission, in a 30-hour round-trip operation involving multiple refuelings.
The Pentagon has fortified its air presence, quietly deploying additional fighter jets and refueling tankers to undisclosed bases across the Middle East. According to open-source flight tracking data, US refueling aircraft and fighters have also been positioned in key European locations, including the UK, Spain, Germany, and Greece.
Though American aircraft have not entered Iranian airspace, they have intercepted incoming Iranian missiles and provided support for Israeli defenses. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized that current US activity remains defensive: 'We are taking every step to ensure our people are safe.'
At sea, US Navy warships, including the USS The Sullivans, USS Thomas Hudner, and USS Arleigh Burke, have shot down Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Israeli cities. The Arleigh Burke has since repositioned, while the USS Carl Vinson strike group remains in the Arabian Sea, poised to protect US troops and regional interests. The USS Nimitz is en route to replace the Vinson, signaling continued US readiness.
Destroyers are also stationed in the Red Sea, Western Mediterranean, and Baltic Sea, highlighting the global scope of US naval coordination amid the conflict.
Iran and Israel exchanged fresh missile volleys on Wednesday as the air war between the longtime foes entered its sixth day. Iran launched two separate barrages targeting Israeli cities overnight, with explosions heard over Tel Aviv. In retaliation, Israel issued evacuation warnings for parts of Tehran and Karaj, followed by airstrikes that reportedly struck military sites near the Iranian capital.
The Israeli military claims to have control over Iranian airspace and has vowed to intensify operations. Iran, meanwhile, has reported at least 224 deaths - most of them civilians. Israel reported 24 civilian casualties.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Curfew lifted in LA as Trump battles for control of California troops
Curfew lifted in LA as Trump battles for control of California troops (Image: AP) LOS ANGELES: Calm appeared to be returning to protest-hit Los Angeles on Tuesday as the mayor lifted a night time curfew, while President Donald Trump battled to keep control of California troops he deployed to the city. A fraction of the sprawling US city had been off-limits from 8pm to 6am to most people for a week after instances of looting and vandalism during demonstrations against Trump's immigration raids. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the curfew had been "largely successful in protecting stores, restaurants, businesses and residential communities from bad actors who do not care about the immigrant community." However, she added that, "as we continue quickly adapting to chaos coming from Washington," she was prepared to reissue a curfew if needed. Bass and other California officials have accused Trump of inflaming tensions by sending 4,000 of the state's National Guard troops -- as well as 700 Marines -- to the second-largest US city. In a show of political muscle, Trump ignored the objections of Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, who would usually oversee the Guard. A judge said Thursday that the Republican president's actions were "illegal" and ordered that he return control of the force to Newsom. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo But a higher court paused that ruling after the Trump administration lodged an appeal and slammed the judge's order as an "extraordinary intrusion on the President's constitutional authority as Commander in Chief." Extreme measure At an appeals hearing Tuesday, the Justice Department argued that Trump needed to keep control of California's troops to ensure federal immigration officers could carry out arrests without threats from the public. "Unfortunately, local authorities are either unable or unwilling to protect federal personnel and property from the mob violence ongoing in Los Angeles today," said Brett Shumate, representing the Trump administration. California officials have rejected that charge, insisting that Trump's use of the military has escalated demonstrations that Los Angeles that law enforcement could have handled. Samuel Harbourt, representing Newsom and California, pointed out that local authorities in Los Angeles have made around 1,000 arrests during the disorder. "Are we in a world that's so different from normal conditions as to justify an extreme measure like militarizing the situation and bringing in the National Guard?" he said. Harbourt urged the San Francisco court to lift the pause on the original order, meaning Trump would have to concede control of the Guard. "Every day that this order remains in effect it is causing harm for our nation's broader democratic tradition of separation of the military from civilian affairs," he said. That, he added, "sets a precedent for this president, and future presidents, to take similar actions going forward." 'Totally lost control' The fatigue-wearing guardsmen have been tasked with protecting federal property in Los Angeles, stationed outside buildings with helmets and large shields. US law restricts them from arresting citizens, though some guardsmen have fired tear gas and non-lethal rounds towards protesters, according to local media. It is the first time since 1965 that a US president has deployed the National Guard without the express wishes of a state's governor. Trump has been unrepentant, taking credit for making Los Angeles "safe" and declaring that Newsom -- a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028 -- had "totally lost control." The dispute mirrors multiple other tussles over Trump's attempts to expand the limits of presidential power, but is the first to involve troops. Like other cases, it could go all the way to the Supreme Court, where conservative judges hold a 6-3 majority. Many in Los Angeles are angry about immigration raids carried out as part of Trump's ambition to deport vast numbers of undocumented migrants around the country. Outrage at the use of masked, armed immigration agents has also sparked protests in other cities, including San Francisco, New York, Chicago and San Antonio, Texas.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
'For 37 days, PM didn't say anything': Congress questions PM Modi's silence on Trump's mediation claim; demands all-party meeting
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh and PM Modi (R) NEW DELHI: Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to call an all-party meeting to brief opposition leaders about India's stand on US President Donald Trump's repeated claims of mediation between India and Pakistan. Jairam Ramesh raised questions over PM Modi's silence for over a month after his phone call with President Trump during the G7 Summit in Canada. "Now, for 37 days, the Prime Minister did not say anything. Now, today, we are told that he had a 35-minute call with President Trump, and there is a readout of what the Prime Minister is supposed to have said to Mr Trump. President Trump has also put out a statement from the White House; there is a difference between the two statements. Normally, these statements are different because they appeal to different audiences," Ramesh said. He added, "For 37 days, the Prime Minister has kept quiet. And today, we are being asked to believe that this is what he told President Trump. All I'm saying is..... Why can't the Prime Minister call an all-party meeting tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? Take the opposition party leaders into confidence and say the same thing which has been put out today by the foreign secretary." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Ramesh also criticised Trump for inviting Pakistan army chief Asim Munir to a one-on-one lunch at the White House. He said, "He should have made the US President aware of the direct link between Asim Munir's inflammatory, incendiary, provocative, absolutely unacceptable remarks that he made, which gave oxygen to the Pahalgam terrorists. Pahalgam terrorist attack was a reflection of those remarks of General Asim Munir and the same person is now being invited for a one-on-one lunch with President Trump. .. In my view, this is an absolute insult to India." Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also raised doubts over PM Modi's statement. "Modi's people are saying this, but President Trump should tweet about it and say that he takes back his words. Who will believe what PM Modi will say now?" Raut said. Their remarks came after foreign secretary Vikram Misri said that PM Modi spoke to US President Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada. The conversation lasted about 35 minutes and focused mainly on India's recent counterterror operation in Pakistan, called Operation Sindoor . According to Misri, "Prime Minister Modi made it clear to President Trump that during this entire episode, at no time, at any level, were issues such as the India-US trade deal or mediation by the US between India and Pakistan discussed. The halt to military action was discussed directly between India and Pakistan, through existing channels of the two armies, and was at the request of Pakistan." He also said, "Prime Minister Modi stressed that India has never accepted mediation, does not accept it, and will never accept it. There is complete political unanimity in India on this issue." President Trump has claimed several times in the past that he helped stop hostilities between India and Pakistan by using trade talks. However, Misri said that Trump listened carefully and expressed his support for India's fight against terrorism.
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Iran shuts down internet, 'goes for near Blackout' as conflict with Israel deepens
Iran has reportedly went for a near-total Internet Blackout Tuesday (June 17) as conflict with Israel deepened. According to a report by NBC News, the drop appears to be a result of a decision by Iran's government, rather than Israeli strikes on infrastructure. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The report quotes Kentinc and Netblocks, the two companies that track global internet connectivity. According to NBC News, quoting these companies, Iran's internet connectivity plummeted around 5:30 p.m. local time, limiting Iranians' ability to access and share information with the outside world. The internet slowdowns appeared to particularly affect services like virtual private networks (VPNs) used to access foreign sites. Data published by the internet services company Cloudflare found that two major Iranian mobile network providers were effectively disconnected. What Iran said on Internet Blackout Fatemeh Mohajerani, a spokesperson for Iran's government, reportedly said it had restricted internet access in response to Israeli cyberattacks. Iran's government has historically shut down or reduced its internet connectivity with the outside world in times of civil unrest. In 2019, the country implemented a six-day full blackout as protesters took to the streets across the country and the government issued a crackdown on civilians, reportedly leading to the deaths of more than 100 people. Apple, Google app stores and WhatsApp blocked Amir Rashidi, the director of digital rights and security at the Miaan Group, a nonprofit organization that advocates for human rights in Iran, reportedly said that some Western apps for communicating, including WhatsApp and Instagram have been blocked. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He further said that app stores of Google and Apple -- Google Play Store and App Store -- had been blocked in Iran. A WhatsApp spokesperson told NBC News that its parent company, Meta, has been engaged in a cat-and-mouse game with Iran. What is not blocked in Iran The report said that Iran's National Information Network, a nationwide network of government-approved sites that are not connected to the outside world, has largely remained accessible to people in Iran. As internet services are restricted in the country, some people have called for Elon Musk's satellite internet service provider, Starlink, to step in, the way it has in many parts of the world.
