At Least 10 US Military Cargo Planes From Texas Land in Israel as Washington Weighs New Iran Strikes

At least 10 US military cargo planes have landed at Israeli airbases this week as the United States weighs whether to launch new strikes on Iran. Analysts tracking public flight data told the Times of Israel that more than 10 American military transport aircraft landed in southern Israel over the past week, while Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported that at least 10 arrived within a single 24 hour period.

The planes landed at the Nevatim and Ovda airbases in southern Israel. Nevatim is home to several squadrons of Israel’s F-35I fighter jets. Most of the flights took off from Biggs Army Airfield at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, which houses one of the US military’s largest air defense centers.

Israel was not the only stop. Flight data shows other US military cargo flights landed at American bases in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait in recent days, part of a larger airlift moving military equipment across the region.

The US has not said what the planes are carrying. KAN reported the cargo likely includes air defense equipment and may restock American interceptor missiles for the Patriot and THAAD systems. Interceptors are missiles fired to knock down incoming missiles before they hit their targets, and THAAD is a US system built to destroy ballistic missiles at high altitudes. An Israeli official told KAN that Israel and the US are closely coordinating their military preparations.

The flights line up with other moves reported this week. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that the US is sending a Patriot air defense battery from Texas to the region, and that officials have warned Gulf countries to prepare for a short, intense military campaign against Iran after the November 3 midterms. Reuters reported that a top US commander has briefed Trump on military options for Iran.

The buildup goes beyond cargo flights. Israeli news site Ynet reported that 12 US destroyers and two aircraft carriers are now in the region, and that an analysis by Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies suggests the US may be rebuilding its network of refueling planes in Europe, which would make it easier to move more forces into the Middle East. Israel is also updating its target lists and preparing for possible Iranian retaliation, according to the report.

Israeli security officials stressed that the movements do not mean a decision to attack has been made, and the Israeli military has not commented on the landings. US diplomats have also said Trump has not made a final call on new strikes.

The war with Iran began in late February. The US has not struck Iran since early September, and the Pentagon’s latest estimate puts the cost of the war to American taxpayers at $47.1 billion.

Dee Dee Henderson

Dee Dee Henderson is a Poli Alert journalist covering national politics, elections and the policies that hit closest to home for Black communities, from voting rights and the economy to the courts. She reports the facts first and isn't afraid to say what they mean, and her commentary pieces are clearly labeled as opinion. Her midterm coverage breaks down deadlines, ballot measures and the races that will decide who holds power in Washington.

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