- The US has deployed advanced fighter jets and support aircraft to the Middle East for potential Iran strike
- Two aircraft carriers and multiple destroyers are positioned to support a possible military operation
- US air power build-up is the largest since 2003, but smaller than the Gulf War and Iraq invasion forces
The United States is ready to attack Iran anytime now. The US military has assembled the greatest amount of air power in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq by sending significant numbers of cutting-edge F-35 and F-22 jet fighters and support aircraft to the region, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
A second aircraft carrier loaded with attack and electronic-warfare planes is also on its way to the region, while command-and-control aircraft—vital for orchestrating large air campaigns—are inbound. All that's left is the final nod from President Donald Trump before the US military attacks Iran.
Reports claim Trump is yet to decide if he wants to attack Iran or not-- and if he does attack, whether the aim would be to halt Iran's already-battered nuclear programme and wipe out its missile force or try to topple the regime as well.
US Military Buildup in the Middle East
Flight-tracking data show that dozens of US Air Force fighter jets and support aircraft have moved to Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan and Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, while more planes are on their way. According to the WSJ report, these include F-35s, F-15s, F-16s, F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets, E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System, and E-11 Battlefield Airborne Communications Node aircraft.
On Wednesday, Flightradar24 showed multiple KC-135s flying near or in the Middle East, as well as E3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft and cargo planes operating in the region.
Meanwhile, the US Navy has also reportedly deployed 13 ships in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean Sea to support a potential operation, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and nine destroyers capable of defending against ballistic missiles. A second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and the four destroyers in its strike group are also on their way to the region.
An earlier WSJ report said that Team Trump has sent additional land-based air defences into place across the Middle East.
Biggest Buildup Since 2003
As formidable as the current US buildup appears, it is just a fraction of American assets deployed for the 1991 Gulf War or the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In 1991, America sent six aircraft carriers to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. The US Air Force also deployed entire wings of warplanes to carry out a six-week air campaign—instead of just squadrons that are being sent now.
Operation Desert Storm in 1991 included 1,300 US aircraft from the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, according to information from Air and Space Forces Magazine. The US Air Force deployed 863 aircraft in the Middle East for the Iraqi Operation in 2003.
But the circumstances are different today. The US Air Force is much smaller now, with no allied ground forces to support. There is also no international coalition supporting the attack, unless the Israeli air force joins the campaign.
Moreover, unlike in 1991, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have also put their airspace off-limits for potential US strikes, leaving many US warplanes concentrated in Jordan.
Force Enough For Long Strike
But to America's advantage, the military technology, including the ability to carry out precision strikes, has improved. It could help the US cause sustainable damage with a limited war force.
According to a WSJ report, the firepower sent by Trump will give the US the option of carrying out a sustained, weekslong air war against Iran instead of the one-and-done "Midnight Hammer" strike carried out in June against three Iranian nuclear sites.
Trump's Uncertainty
The Trump administration is still unsure what might come after a bombing campaign, as negotiators from Washington and Tehran work on a possible deal over Iranian enrichment of uranium. Representatives from the US and Iran met in Geneva this week, with the White House saying there had been "a little bit of progress" in those talks. But Team Trump added, "We're still very far apart on some issues." Iran is expected to offer a more detailed proposal to the U.S. in the next few weeks, Leavitt said.
A CNN report earlier said the White House has been briefed that the military is ready for an attack by the weekend, but Trump remains unconvinced that it's the best course of action. Citing the source, the US publication reported that the American commander-in-chief has privately argued both for and against military action and polled advisers and allies on the best course of action.
Trump has also reportedly received several briefings on his military options should he choose to strike, all of them designed to maximise damage to Iran's regime and its regional proxies.
The WSJ report claimed most US plans include a campaign to kill scores of Iranian political and military leaders, with the goal of overthrowing the government, as well as an air attack that would be limited to striking targets including nuclear and ballistic-missile facilities. Both would involve a potentially weeks-long operation.
Iran's Options
Iran also has many cards in its deck for a sustained campaign, including a still-sizable missile arsenal that could be directed at US bases. Tehran also has allies in the region and military forces that could try to close the Strait of Hormuz, a vital sea lane for oil tankers.
Given the uncertainties, some former military officers believe that a diplomatic agreement could be preferable to war.
"Frankly, the best that could come out of this is that the dramatic increase in deployed forces will be significant enough of an indicator that Trump is not messing around with the use of force," thus prompting Iran's leaders to agree, David Deptula, a retired three-star Air Force general who played a major role in the 1991 Desert Storm campaign against Iraq, told WSJ.
But US and foreign officials are increasingly pessimistic that Iran will agree to the US's demands. They believe that Tehran might only be willing to suspend its nuclear-enrichment activities for a short period – perhaps until Trump is out of office.
Iran reportedly wants the negotiations to delay any US attack, but experts said Tehran also realises that Trump is likely to grow frustrated with prolonged talks and order strikes. The US leader has repeatedly threatened an attack on Iran should negotiations fail. "I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal," Trump told reporters Monday.
