US builds up military force in Middle East amid risk of wider war

The United States is reinforcing its military presence in the Middle East as it weighs escalation against Iran, and has notified Israel of plans to deploy additional aerial refueling tankers, according to reports.

Axios, citing American and Israeli government officials, reported Friday (local time) that Washington recently informed Israel of plans to deploy dozens more aerial refueling tankers to the country.

The US currently has about 30 tankers stationed at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv and a similar number at Ramon Airport in southern Israel.

Israel offers a relative advantage over other US military bases in the region in that it is less exposed to Iranian attack.

Aerial refueling tankers are a critical asset in long-range strike operations, allowing fighter jets to refuel in flight and significantly extending both their operational range and time aloft.

Analysts say that if the buildup goes ahead, the deployment would approach the scale seen at the outset of the war — raising questions about whether the US is effectively preparing for a full-scale air campaign against Iran.

US media outlets had earlier reported that Donald Trump was briefed by aides at a White House meeting on Tuesday on a range of options, including the deployment of ground troops, intensified airstrikes and strikes on underground nuclear facilities.

Also on Friday, the Wall Street Journal, citing aircraft-tracking sites and sources, reported that the US military is redeploying fighter jets from bases in Europe to the Middle East, warning of the risk that expanding hostilities could spill into a larger war.

Officials from both governments said Trump could order an escalation of military action within the coming days.

Axios assessed that Trump "has not yet made a final decision, but appears willing to escalate the war in order to pressure the Iranian regime to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept Trump's nuclear demands."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to make a final decision on the US request in the near future.

However, it remains unclear whether Netanyahu will agree to the request, as he must weigh the potential political fallout with a general election just three months away.

The large-scale stationing of US aerial refueling tankers has emerged as a politically sensitive issue in Israel, given the significant strain it places on airport operations.

Axios noted that the tanker presence was not a problem during active fighting, when Israeli airspace was closed and many airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv, but that an increase in tankers at the airport ahead of the holiday travel season could trigger mass flight cancellations.