As the world’s biggest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, docks at Souda Bay in Greece, with a fully loaded flight deck, reports from Israel state that U.S. Air Force refuelling planes were spotted parked at Ben Gurion airport, hinting at an imminent US attack on Iran.
According to a report that appeared in Hebrew media, Walla, the KC-135 Stratotanker provides the core aerial refuelling capability for the United States Air Force fighter planes.
The presence of the refuelling planes hints at a broader American preparedness for an attack on Iran. This also coincides with the arrival of the Ford at Crete. The carrier just needs one day to reach the Israeli coast, where it will dock if the war breaks out. The Ford is considered the largest and most expensive warship ever built, at 337 meters long and costing $13 billion to build.
Further evidence of tensions with Iran came at noon with the American decision to evacuate dozens of its citizens from Lebanon, non-essential employees at the embassy in Beirut, and their families. A source at the US embassy told Reuters that 50 people had been evacuated, while an official at Beirut airport told the news agency that 32 embassy staff, along with their family members, had taken off from the airport.
For latest news and analyses on Middle East, visit: Yello! Middle East
A senior US State Department official told the Lebanese network MTV: "We are continuously assessing the security environment and based on the latest review, we have decided that it would be appropriate to reduce our presence at the embassy in Lebanon to essential personnel only. The embassy in Beirut is operational with essential staff. This measure is temporary and is intended to ensure the safety of employees.”
According to the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), there are already more than 200 American fighter jets in the Middle East, and more than 300 if you include those in Europe. Of these, 36 are F-15s, and at least 48 are F-35 stealth aircraft. Britain has 12 F-22 stealth aircraft, and there are also 36 F-16s in the region.
In addition to the fighter jets, the US forces in the region also include more than 100 refuelling, command and control, reconnaissance and transport aircraft. The US strike groups include two aircraft carriers - the Lincoln, which arrived many weeks ago, and the Ford, which is in the Mediterranean, continuing to advance eastward and has been spotted in the Crete area - as well as 12 destroyers. More destroyers may also be on the way.