U.S. Deploys 150+ Aircraft Near Iran Amid Tensions
The United States has rapidly increased its military footprint in Europe and the Middle East, shifting more than 150 aircraft into the region following stalled nuclear talks with Iran.
The buildup comes after a second round of negotiations between U.S. and Iranian officials ended on February 17 without a breakthrough. President Donald Trump has publicly threatened military action if a deal to restrict Iran’s nuclear program cannot be reached, though he has not outlined specific objectives for any potential strike.
According to publicly available flight tracking data and satellite imagery reviewed by The Washington Post, the current U.S. military presence in the region is among the largest in more than two decades, surpassing even the buildup before U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June of last year.
A Surge in Air and Naval Power
The deployments include cargo aircraft, refueling tankers, fighter jets and early warning planes. Experts who reviewed the movements said the scale of assets being assembled suggests preparation for a potential multiday air campaign rather than a ground invasion.
“The massive level of force amassed means the U.S. military can execute on whatever Trump decides — anything from a sustained, highly kinetic campaign to more targeted, limited strikes,” Dana Stroul, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East and now a research director at the Washington Institute, told The Washington Post.
Two aircraft carriers are now positioned near the region. The USS Abraham Lincoln has been stationed off the Omani coast since early February. The USS Gerald R. Ford was spotted off the coast of Crete on Monday. With the Ford’s arrival, roughly a third of all active U.S. naval ships are operating in the Middle East theater.
Both carriers are accompanied by guided missile destroyers armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, weapons used in prior strikes against Iranian targets.
Aircraft Spread Across Europe and the Middle East
More than half of the newly deployed aircraft have landed at bases in Europe, according to flight tracking data and satellite imagery. Analysts say positioning aircraft in Eastern Europe places them out of range of most Iranian missile systems while still maintaining operational flexibility.
By avoiding bases in the Persian Gulf, the U.S. reduces the risk of presenting what Gregory Brew, a senior Iran analyst at Eurasia Group, described as a “juicy target.”
Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan has become a focal point for U.S. airpower. Satellite imagery taken Friday showed more than 60 warplanes at the base, including over a dozen F-35 fighter jets. The F-35 is often used to disable enemy air defenses and clear paths for follow-on aircraft. The jet also carries advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
The U.S. has also deployed more than a third of its active E-3G Sentry fleet to Europe and the Middle East in recent days. Equipped with a rotating radar dome, the E-3G provides early warning and real-time surveillance across broad airspace.
Additional aircraft have been photographed at European bases, including F-22A Raptors at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom and an F-16 Fighting Falcon landing in the Azores. Video posted from Chania Airport in Crete showed at least 10 F-35 jets among other combat aircraft. Refueling tankers and reconnaissance planes have also arrived.
Combat aircraft often operate with location tracking turned off, meaning the visible deployments likely represent only part of the total buildup.
Strategic Implications
Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told The Washington Post that if the administration intends to conduct a weeks-long air campaign, even more assets would be required.
Defense officials acknowledged the increase in forces but declined to comment on specifics, citing operational security.
The scale and composition of the deployment signal a posture designed for rapid action. “Whatever their administration wants to do with Iran, they want to do in a big way, but they want to do fairly quickly with minimal risk of blowback or negative repercussion,” Brew said.
Iranian officials have stated that a nuclear deal remains possible but cautioned that negotiations will take time.
For now, the military buildup appears to serve as both a deterrent and a ready option. Whether it results in renewed diplomacy or military engagement will depend on decisions made in the coming days.
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