2026-02-18 18:05
publication
2026-02-18 18:05
The United States has sent another, largest fleet of planes to the Middle East, which is necessary to conduct a long-term campaign against Iran – according to the ItaMilRadar website, which tracks the movement of planes and warships in the Mediterranean.
In the air on the way to the East there is, among others: a dozen or so of the most effective American F-22 Raptor fighters, approximately 36 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, six Boeing E-3 Sentry early warning aircraft and the U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane – according to data from the ItaMilRadar portal, which commented that this is an unprecedented concentration of the American air fleet in the Middle East.
Earlier on Monday, 18 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters took off from Lakenheath Air Base in the United Kingdom and headed for Muwaffak Salti in central Jordan, which, alongside Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, has become a major logistics center for US tactical aircraft, despite Amman's assurances that it will not allow its airspace to be used to attack Iran.
The world on the brink of war. Donald Trump is close to attacking Iran. “90 percent chance of hitting”
US President Donald Trump is increasingly leaning towards a large-scale attack against Iran, and Israel, which supports this option, is preparing for the outbreak of war within days, Axios reported on Wednesday. According to one of Trump's advisers, the probability of war is 90 percent.
These planes constitute the most intense phase of the build-up that began after US President Donald Trump began threatening the Iranian regime with an attack for brutal treatment of anti-government protesters.
This is in the air, while in the waters of the Persian Gulf, the US Navy currently has 12 surface ships, including the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG), seven Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and three Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), and another aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford with its own escort is on the way – calculated by TheWarZone (TWZ) portal, citing information provided by a representative of the US Navy.
There are also several nuclear submarines in the region, but the US military traditionally does not disclose their number or location.
The total forces accumulating in the Middle East, combined with the potential of the Israeli Air Force, would be enough to perform a major operation that could last weeksnot days, TWZ assessed, adding that the US has not yet said the last word and will probably deploy additional forces in the coming days. (PAP)
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