Israel-Iran war: Massive USAF tanker armada spotted heading east over Atlantic — what move is U.S planning next?
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Preparing for direct US military involvement
Preparing for Iran's threat of Closing Strait of Hormuz
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A sudden wave of US Air Force activity raised alarm bells among military observers and on social media as more than two dozen refuelling tankers took off from bases throughout the United States and started flying east over the Atlantic, as per TWZ report.At least 28 KC-135R and KC-46A tankers were seen on public flight-tracking programmes in a nearly simultaneous movement, posing urgent questions during the heightening war between Israel and Iran, according to the report.These are the possible reasons for this level of relocation of refuelling assets from the US, according to TWZ report:One possibility is that the United States is moving to assist Israel's air force with aerial refuelling capability, something Israel needs amid its airstrikes in Iran , according to the report. With only some seven old 707-based refuelers in Israel's fleet, the country has long had trouble with the logistics of extended long-range attacks, particularly deep into Iran, as per TWZ.Additional fuelling aid would enable Israeli combat jets to strike farther away, stay longer over critical zones, and potentially drop heavy bunker-penetrating bombs on hardened targets such as missile storage and nuclear installations, according to TWZ.Another reason could be that this is a setup for more direct US involvement in the war, TWZ reported. If American assets or personnel are targeted, or if Washington opts to enter the war, these tankers would be crucial to maintain air operations, according to the report.If Iran tried to blockade the Strait of Hormuz, a vital chokepoint in international oil shipping, American forces would probably counter with military action, as per TWZ. That mission would be much more than sinking boats, it would require neutralising enemy air defences, spying on the area, and pursuing mobile missile sites along Iran's coast, reported TWZ.That needs fighter jets, drones, and bombers to be in the air for hours on end, which means tankers would be running nonstop, so US might be pre-positioning them now. This might be an indicator that the Pentagon is preparing for this very scenario, as per the report.The US has deployed over two dozen aerial refuelling tankers, likely in response to escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, but the exact mission is not known, according to the report.It's possible. Israel's limited refuelling capacity restricts its ability to strike deep into Iran. US tankers could allow Israeli jets to fly farther and stay over targets longer.
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