'Unprecedented mass deployment' of warplanes across Atlantic fuels war fears

Flight-tracking websites showed dozens of Air Force aerial refueling planes departing from military bases in the United States and heading to Europe on Sunday, fueling speculation of direct U.S. involvement in the widening Israeli-Iranian war.

Military-focused news sites reported that around 30 U.S. Air Force KC-135R and KC-46A tankers were identified by flight-tracking software in what The Times of Israelcalled an "unprecedented mass deployment" to Europe.

According toThe Aviationist:

Most of these aircraft landed this morning at Ramstein Air Base in Germany and at Morón Air Base and [Naval Air Station] Rota in Spain, while two landed at Aviano Air Base in Italy and at least one landed at Prestwick International Airport in the U.K. At the time of writing, some tankers are in flight over the Balkans, headed south, possibly towards Souda Bay in Greece or Incirlik in Turkey.

"While tanker movements in this direction are far from abnormal, such a large, near-simultaneous migration of the jets was very peculiar, especially at a time of extreme crisis in the Middle East," The War Zone's Tyler Rogoway wrote Monday. "The exact reason for the mass deployment is unclear, although many of the potential answers would indicate a change, or preparations for a potential change, in the current conflict between Israel and Iran."

Speaking on condition of anonymity, two U.S. officials toldReuters Monday that the tankers are being deployed to provide the administration of President Donald Trump with flexibility to act in the Middle East. Military experts said the deployment could portend expanded U.S. support for Israel's war on Iran or even American strikes against the country.

The Trump administration—which recently concluded that Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons—insists that Israel is acting "unilaterally" against its enemy in an effort to prevent it from developing nukes.

However, Trump said Sunday that "it's possible" that U.S. forces could enter the fight. Iran has accused the United States of complicity in Israel's bombing—which Iran says has killed more than 200 people, 90% of whom are civilians—and warned Washington of potential dire consequences if it boosts involvement in the war.

Asked about possible U.S. intervention in the war, Trump told reporters during the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Alberta, Canada on Monday, "I don't want to talk about that."

"We're not involved in it. It's possible we could get involved. But we are not at this moment involved," the president added.

As Reuters noted:

The United States already has a sizable force in the Middle East, with nearly 40,000 troops in the region, including air defense systems, fighter aircraft, and warships that can help bring down missiles.

Last month, the Pentagon replaced B-2 bombers with another type of bomber at a base in the Indo-Pacific that is seen as being an ideal location to operate in the Middle East. The B-52 bombers can carry large bunker-busting munitions, which experts say can be used against Iran's nuclear facilities.

Iran has responded to Israel's bombardment with waves of apparently indiscriminate missile attacks against Israeli cites, killing at least 24 Israeli civilians including women and children and Palestinian citizens of Israel and wounding hundreds of others.

Iranian state media—which was bombed by Israeli forces Monday with reported fatalities—claimed late in the day that Tehran is "preparing for largest and most intense missile attack in history on Israeli soil," even as Iran's government reportedly signaled its willingness to negotiate an end to hostilities if the U.S. guarantees it will not attack.

However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu subsequently toldABC News that Israel would continue bombing Iran, dismissing Tehran's reported overture as a ruse meant to "lie, cheat, and string the U.S. along."