US Air Force sends additional refueling tankers to Israel as regional military buildup intensifies

The United States Air Force is sending six additional refueling tankers to Ben Gurion International Airport on Wednesday as part of what is being described as one of the largest U.S. military coordination efforts in the Middle East in decades.

Earlier this month, analysts tracking flight activity reported several American refuelers and cargo planes landing at Ben Gurion Airport, along with 11 F-22 stealth fighter jets and logistical support aircraft carrying aircrews to Ovda Airbase in southern Israel.

According to open-source flight data, five KC-46 refueling aircraft are scheduled to depart from Portsmouth International Airport in New Hampshire, with a sixth tanker originating from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina.

In addition, dozens of fighter jets including F-35s, F-22s, F-15s, and F-16s have been detected by the Military Air Tracking Alliance en route to the Middle East. The Alliance is made up of about 30 open-source analysts who regularly analyze military and government flight activity. The group also reports tracking dozens of accompanying refueling aircraft, as well as hundreds of cargo flights heading to the Middle East this month.

Military officials say aerial refueling is an essential component of an extended air campaign. Positioning tankers in Israel gives clues about how the military is planning. Positioning tankers in Israel places them within range to support missions approximately 1,000 miles from key Iranian facilities, reducing the refueling chain and increasing aircraft endurance over distant targets. Without aerial refueling, fighter jets and bombers face significant limits on range and loiter time.

According to analysts monitoring publicly available flight data, describe the current U.S. military reinforcement in the Middle East as a a deliberate concentration of air and naval power designed to send a strong message that any attack on U.S. forces, partners or infrastructure would be met with an immediate and forceful response.