US quietly pulled military jets from Qatar airbase, satellite images show

India Today

5 hours ago

Nearly 40 US military aircraft have disappeared from the tarmac at a major American airbase in Qatar over the past two weeks, in what appears to be a preemptive move to shield assets from potential Iranian strikes, according to news agency AFP.Between June 5 and June 19, satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC show the once-packed Al Udeid Air Base -- America's largest military installation in the Middle East -- has been largely emptied of visible aircraft. On June 5, roughly 40 aircraft, including C-130 Hercules transport planes and advanced reconnaissance jets, were parked in plain sight. By June 19, only three remained.advertisementMeanwhile, the US embassy in Qatar announced on Thursday that access to the base would be limited "out of an abundance of caution and in light of ongoing regional hostilities," and urged personnel to "exercise increased vigilance."US Warplanes Quietly Pulled from Qatar AirbaseSatellite images analyzed by the Associated Press show an unusually empty runway at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, suggesting the U.S. military has redeployed many aircraft. The move follows similar naval dispersals in Bahrain, seen as pic.twitter.com/TVqqdcGnei— Ahmad Algohbary (@AhmadAlgohbary) June 19, 2025
An analysis by AFP of public flight tracking data showed that from June 15 to 18, at least 27 military refuelling aircraft -- including KC-46A Pegasus and KC-135 Stratotanker planes -- flew from the United States to Europe. As of late Wednesday, 25 of those aircraft were still in Europe, with only two having returned to the US. These refuelling planes play a key role in long-range air operations and could be a sign that the US is preparing for extended missions.US TROOPS ON HIGH ALERT AS IRANIAN RETALIATION FEARS GROWadvertisementAmerican forces across the Middle East are on heightened alert, and military families have been given the option to voluntarily leave bases as a precaution against possible Iranian retaliation. Roughly 40,000 US troops are currently deployed across the region, up from the usual 30,000. That number briefly spiked to 43,000 in October during a previous flare-up between Israel and Iran, and in response to repeated Houthi attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea.The Pentagon has not commented on additional force movements but emphasised that US personnel are prepared for rapid shifts depending on how the situation with Iran develops.TRUMP TO DECIDE ON US ROLE IN IRAN STRIKES SOONMeanwhile, the White House announced that US President Donald Trump will decide whether to join Israel's campaign against Iran's military and nuclear programme within two weeks, saying that Trump still sees a window for diplomacy to address Israeli and US demands on Iran's nuclear programme."Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks," Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary, told reporters, quoting Trump.advertisementIsraeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 'cannot continue to exist.' Katz spoke after the latest wave of Iranian missiles struck a hospital and wounded at least 40 people."A dictator like Khamenei, who heads a country like Iran and has made the destruction of Israel his mission, cannot continue to exist," Katz said. "The IDF has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist."