US Bolsters Israel With Airlift Amid Regional Threats

Miami Herald

21-04-2025

At least eight U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft were tracked flying from Ramstein Air Base in Germany to Israel's Nevatim Airbase on Sunday.
According to flight tracking data and open-source intelligence monitors, the mission is part of a broader operation that has seen at least 25 C-17 flights land in Israel since April 10, making it one of the largest such deployments in years.
The operation comes as Israel signals possible military action against Iran. It also coincides with renewed diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran to establish the framework for a new nuclear agreement.
The scale of the U.S. deployment highlights mounting urgency amid escalating regional threats. While Israel reportedly weighs "limited strikes" on Iran and the U.S. pursues diplomacy, the buildup may serve broader purposes: deterring Iranian aggression, countering attacks from Tehran's regional proxies such as the Houthis in Yemen, reinforcing defenses amid continued conflict in Gaza, and preparing for instability along Israel's northern front with Hezbollah or in Syria.
While the exact contents of the C-17 flights have not been confirmed, the volume and coordination suggest a significant reinforcement effort. The continued arrival of such aircraft to Nevatim Airbase-already a hub for joint operations-comes amid heightened threat perceptions from Iran and its regional allies.
The C-17s could have carried advanced air-defense systems, with THAAD and Patriot PAC-3 missiles among the top candidates, military analysts said. Both systems have been deployed to Israel in recent years.
A Reuters report said that Israel's current military planning focuses on limited operations targeting Iran's nuclear sites-actions that would require far less American support than previous proposals. The options include airstrikes and special forces raids, aimed at delaying Iran's nuclear advances. Last week, The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump had rejected a proposal from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for "extensive" strikes against Iran.
Meanwhile, a second round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks concluded in Rome, with further negotiations planned in the coming days.
Despite both sides agreeing to continue with further negotiations some Iranian officials remain skeptical. Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran's National Security Committee said, "We still have serious doubts about the ideas and intentions of the Americans and their will to reach an agreement."
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in an X post: "Relatively positive atmosphere in Rome has enabled progress on principles and objectives of a possible deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: "It is amusing to listen to the criticism of those who opposed the actions I took to harm and delay Iran's nuclear program in the past, actions without which Iran would have had a nuclear weapon 10 years ago."
President Donald Trump stated: "I'm for stopping Iran, very simply, from having a nuclear weapon. I want Iran to be great and prosperous and terrific."
Ebrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for Iran's National Security Committee said: "We still have serious doubts about the ideas and intentions of the Americans and their will to reach an agreement."
The next round of U.S.-Iran negotiations will test whether diplomacy can outpace the military buildup and broader regional escalation. As Israel weighs its next steps, the stakes extend beyond Tehran-encompassing ongoing hostilities in Gaza, cross-border tensions with Hezbollah, and Houthi missile threats. Regional stability may hinge on whether a deal can be reached before confrontation overtakes diplomacy.
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