As tensions between the United States and Iran keep growing, pictures of at least two US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aerial tankers at the Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel have gone viral over social media.
Reports suggest that these US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aerial tankers have apparently been deployed from Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar, giving rise to speculation that the US is seemingly evacuating aircraft from the bases closer to Iran. The reports emerged more than a month after the US had moved six American KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from Al Udeid air base in Qatar, the Times of Israel had reported on January 14.
“It is unclear whether the KC-135s are repositioning to US bases further from Iran or are preparing to support a US strike in the region,” Times of Israel had noted back then.
Also Read: US President 'Man Of Action', Wait And See: Iranians Get Anonymous SMS On Phones Amid War Rhetoric
With the latest pictures emerging from the Ben Gurion Airport of Israel, it looks like the latter part of the statement was correct. What makes the development important is the fact that White House sources have been quoted by certain media outlets on how the war on Iran was going to be a joint operation between the US and Israel.
The sources had told certain media outlets that a war with Iran was “imminent” and it would be bigger than the airstrikes Israel had carried out on Tehran in June last year. These sources were quoted as saying that Trump was “getting fed up”.
Even as the third phase of talks between Tehran and Washington is slated to take place on February 26 in Geneva, Trump has been upping the ante against Iran, giving them 10 to 15 days to reach an agreement on the nuclear talks, or it would be “unfortunate” for the country. Tehran has retorted and said any strikes by the US, including limited strikes, will be considered as an “act of aggression”
Tehran today issued a statement saying that any state would react to an act of aggression as part of its inherent right to self-defence ferociously. “So that's what we would do,” ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said at a briefing in Tehran, the AFP reported.
Following the statement, thousands of cellphones buzzed in Iran, and an anonymous SMS was delivered, which read, “The US President is a man of action. Wait and see.”
Amid the rhetoric, the US has been strengthening its military presence in the Middle East. AFP has reported that the US military has 13 warships stationed in the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived last month, nine destroyers and three frigates.
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