Trump Considers Major Iran Strike as US Requests More Refueling Planes in Israel

The Trump administration has informed Israel of plans to send dozens of additional US military refueling aircraft to the country in the coming days, preparing for a possible escalation of military operations against Iran. This development follows President Donald Trump reviewing new military options at a White House briefing, where he is considering a broad and significantly intensified attack on Iran beyond current strikes near the Strait of Hormuz.

Potential targets under consideration include Iranian infrastructure such as power plants, deeper strikes on nuclear facilities to destroy enriched uranium stockpiles underground, and the suspected underground site at Mount Makuh, believed to be part of Iran’s nuclear program. Although no final decision has been made, Trump appears ready to escalate the conflict to inflict substantial damage that might force Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and reconsider its nuclear ambitions.

In recent days, the US military has conducted continuous strikes against Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz and along Iran’s southern coast, including at least seven bridges near Bandar Abbas, a key Revolutionary Guards hub. Concurrently, Iran has intensified attacks on US bases in Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait, and claimed to have struck a US base in Syria, despite US forces having withdrawn months ago.

Currently, the US operates about 30 refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport and a similar number at Ramon Airport in southern Israel. US officials have requested Israel to prepare for the arrival of additional tankers to restore the fleet size to early-war levels. The US prefers Ben Gurion as a base due to greater security compared to other regional airbases vulnerable to Iranian attacks.

Iran remains deterred from directly attacking Israel, anticipating a massive Israeli retaliation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Iran against any attacks, promising a response "much more powerful" than before. The presence of numerous US tankers at Ben Gurion has become a sensitive political issue in Israel, causing congestion and risking flight cancellations during the busy summer travel season, which could politically impact Netanyahu’s coalition ahead of elections. Transport Minister Miri Regev has pushed to relocate or reduce the number of US tankers, but the Defense Ministry and IDF oppose this.

The Trump administration has asked Israel to prepare for the additional tankers within days, with the final decision resting with Prime Minister Netanyahu.