Washington - (Saba):
Military Watch magazine reported that the US Air Force is conducting an unprecedented, large-scale transatlantic refueling operation from bases on the US mainland.
The US magazine reported that the number of KC-135 and KC-46 tanker aircraft continues to increase, with reports indicating that the number of aircraft has exceeded 30.
Reports indicate that aircraft from several Western countries are already participating in aerial refueling operations for the Israeli Air Force, facilitating airstrikes against targets inside Iran. This raises the possibility that the recently deployed US aircraft are intended for the same purpose: refueling Israeli aircraft during operations.
An equally important possibility is that these aircraft are intended to refuel US Air Force and Navy fighter and bomber aircraft, should the United States decide to expand its direct involvement in the war.
The magazine stated that "the United States is currently an active player in the hostilities, having deployed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) systems and AEGIS-class naval destroyers to support efforts to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles launched toward targets inside the occupied Palestinian territories." It explained that although the Israeli Air Force's F-15 fighters are capable of reaching Iranian airspace without refueling in flight, the vast majority of Israel's air fleet consists of F-16s, which lack the range to reach most targets inside Iran, even with the use of external fuel tanks or long-range air-launched cruise and ballistic missiles.