US Sends Additional Tanker Aircraft to Israel Amid Rising Iran Tensions

In response to escalating tensions and expanded attacks involving Iran, the United States is accelerating military support to Israel by deploying additional tanker aircraft. According to ynet, ten more US Air Force refueling planes are expected to arrive in Israel on Friday and Saturday, but unlike previous waves, these will not be stationed at Ben Gurion Airport. Concurrently, the Wall Street Journal reported that US fighter jets are also being sent to the Middle East via Europe. Iranian media reported heavy explosions in the port city of Bandar Abbas on the Persian Gulf.

So far, over 60 US tanker aircraft have arrived in Israel, with 33 previously stationed at Ben Gurion Airport. Following Transport Minister Miri Regev's decision to limit the number of US tankers at Ben Gurion due to congestion concerns, US Central Command officials protested, citing operational flexibility issues. The Israeli military supported the US position, emphasizing the strategic importance of these tankers. A compromise was reached to base the new tankers at Israeli air force bases instead.

This buildup follows a Trump administration announcement to send dozens more tankers ahead of a potential expanded military campaign against Iran. Sources told Axios that President Donald Trump is considering a large-scale strike on Iran, surpassing recent attacks near the Strait of Hormuz. Proposed targets include Iranian infrastructure such as power plants, nuclear facilities including underground uranium storage, and a suspected nuclear site at Mount Makuh. Trump has not made a final decision but appears prepared to escalate to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz and complying with nuclear demands.

US forces have conducted strikes for five consecutive days on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz and southern Iran, including at least seven bridges near Bandar Abbas, a key Revolutionary Guards logistics hub. A previously attacked maritime control tower was also destroyed. Meanwhile, Iran has intensified attacks on US bases in Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait, and claimed to have struck a US base in Syria, though US forces had withdrawn months earlier.

Currently, the US operates about 30 tanker aircraft at Ben Gurion and a similar number at Ramon Airbase in the Negev. Israeli officials said the US intends to send several dozen more tankers soon, restoring numbers to early-war levels. The US prefers Ben Gurion for its relative security and operational advantages, despite congestion issues. Israeli sources believe Iran is still deterred from attacking Israel directly due to the expected severe retaliation. Transport Minister Regev’s efforts to reduce tanker presence at Ben Gurion aim to prevent summer flight disruptions, but the Defense Ministry and IDF oppose this. The Trump administration has requested Israeli approval for the additional tankers, with a final decision pending from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.