US Ramps Up Military Footprint Across The Middle East

The United States has significantly expanded its military presence across the Middle East, reinforcing both air and naval assets amid heightened regional tensions and uncertainty surrounding Iran, Gaza, the Red Sea, and broader escalation risks, Azernews reports.

According to open-source military tracking data, the US Air Force has carried out a large-scale redeployment aimed at boosting mobility, endurance, and strike readiness:

• More than 80 C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport flights

• Three C-5M Super Galaxy heavy-lift aircraft

• Numerous C-130H/J tactical transport missions

• Up to 20 KC-135 and KC-46 aerial refueling tankers, critical for sustained combat operations

• Two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft dedicated to combat search and rescue

• Two E-11A BACN platforms acting as airborne communications hubs

• RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft conducting strategic electronic and signals intelligence

• Six F-35A stealth fighters and six EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft

• F-15E Strike Eagles and A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft already positioned in-theater

Military analysts note that the scale and composition of these deployments point less to routine rotations and more to contingency planning, enabling rapid escalation or response if needed.

On the maritime front, the US Navy has reinforced key chokepoints and allied defenses:

• The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group is operating in the Arabian Sea

• Three Arleigh Burke–class destroyers are deployed with the carrier group

• Two Arleigh Burke destroyers are positioned in the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, tasked with protecting US bases in Qatar, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia

• Two additional Arleigh Burke destroyers are stationed to bolster Israel's defense, operating in the Gulf of Aqaba and the Mediterranean

• The USS Georgia, an Ohio-class nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine, is operating in the Mediterranean Sea

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