By DAYO ADESULU
The United States has reportedly asked Israel to prepare for the arrival of dozens of additional U.S. aerial refueling aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport, fueling speculation that Washington is making contingency plans for a possible expansion of military operations against Iran.
According to Axios, citing both U.S. and Israeli officials, the additional tanker aircraft would support a significantly larger air campaign if the conflict with Iran intensifies.
However, the proposal has reportedly sparked concern among some Israeli decision-makers. Officials warn that Ben Gurion Airport is already experiencing heavy congestion after receiving around 30 U.S. refueling aircraft in recent days. They argue that bringing in even more military assets could complicate airport operations and create additional security risks.
Intelligence assessments also suggest that Iran could interpret the deployment of more U.S. military resources on Israeli soil as a direct escalation. Should that happen, Tehran may launch retaliatory strikes against Israel.
Military analysts believe that any direct Iranian attack on Israel under such circumstances would likely trigger a broad Israeli response, potentially involving widespread strikes on military and strategic targets inside Iran.
The reported preparations come as tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran remain at one of their highest levels in recent years, with the risk of a wider regional conflict continuing to grow.
While neither Washington nor Jerusalem has officially confirmed plans for an expanded military campaign, the movement of additional support aircraft would represent another significant step in preparations should diplomacy fail and hostilities escalate further.
