Sopuruchi Onwuka

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz, operated by the US Navy, is underway to the Middle East where Western interests are vulnerable to Iranian missiles as the Islamic republic struggles with aerial power of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).

The development comes with a spate report that at least 30 US military planes, all US military tanker aircraft used to re-fuel fighter jets and bombers, have departed bases in America to Europe over the past three days.

According to Flightradar24, flight tracking data, at least seven KC-135s stopped off in US airbases in Spain, Scotland and England.

The deployment of additional military facilities in the Middle East come as Israel, a US ally, continues its campaigns to destroy Tehran’s nuclear programme.

While the aerial tankers take positions in European for quick deployment I the Middles East, maritime tracking agencies reported that the USS Nimits vessel laden with combat ready aircraft also left Southeast Asia on Monday after cancelling plans to dock in Vietnam.

Intelligence sources hinted that the aircraft carrier is headed to the Middle East to boost the US vigilance as Israel and Iran battle out palpable threats that have unsettled the Middle East since October 7, 2023.

The diversion of one of the world’s largest warships came on day four of the escalating air war between Israel and Iran, with no end in sight despite international calls for de-escalation.

Israel’s strikes have so far killed at least 224 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians, according to Iranian authorities.

In retaliation, Iran said it had struck Israel with a salvo of missiles and warned of “effective, targeted and more devastating operations” to come.

US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Monday said that Iran’s missile barrage had lightly damaged a building used by the American embassy in Tel Aviv.

President Donald Trump has clearly warned Iran against targeting of US interests in the battle with Israel. The warning came in response to threats from Iran that all US interests in the Middle East would be legitimate targets in the event of war with Israel.

The USS Nimitz which was seen traveling through the Malacca Strait toward the Indian Ocean would no longer be received in scheduled destination in Vietnam.

Vietnamese government officials confirmed on Monday that a planned reception aboard the USS Nimitz on June 20, as part of the ship’s expected June 19-23 visit to Danang, had been cancelled.

It was gathered that the Defense Department was cancelling the visit of USS Nimitz to Vietnam due to “an emergent operational requirement.”

It is unclear whether the US movements are directly connected to the conflict, but one expert told agency sources that the tanker aircraft flights were “highly unusual.”

A BBC report quoted senior analyst with the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) think tank, Justin Bronk, as saying that the deployments were “highly suggestive” that the US was putting in place contingency plans to “support intensive combat operations” in the region in the coming weeks.

The seven jets, according to flight tracking data, flew east of Sicily and one landed on the Greek island of Crete.

The jet movements come amid reports that the US has also moved an aircraft carrier – the USS Nimitz, from the South China Sea towards the Middle East.

MarineTraffic, a ship-tracking website, showed that the USS Nimitz’s last location was in the Malacca Strait heading towards Singapore early on Tuesday. The Nimitz carries a contingent of fighter jets and is escorted by several guided missile destroyers.

Reuters quoted unnamed US defence forces as stating that Pentagon has also moved F-16, F-22 and F-35 fighter jets to bases in the Middle East. The tanker planes moved to Europe over the past several days can be used to re-fuel these jets.

Earlier on Tuesday, Vice-President JD Vance suggested that the US could intervene to support Israel’s campaign, writing on social media that Trump “may decide he needs to take further action” to end Iran’s nuclear programme.

Tehran is believed to run two principal underground enrichment sites. Natanz has already been hit by Israel, and Fordo is buried deep within a mountain complex near the city of Qom.

Pundits say that the US would likely need GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) munitions, the 13,600 kilogram bunker busters, to penetrate the Fordo facility. The bomb is the only conventional weapon of its kind that is thought to be capable of breaching up to 200ft (60m) of concrete. And only the B-2 stealth bomber can carry the munitions.

Recently, the US has had a squadron of B-2 bombers at its base on the island of Diego Garcia. While the island is some 2,400 miles from Iran’s southern coastline, their location on Diego Garcia would put them well within striking of range of Iran.

Satellite images first showed B-2 bombers had been stationed on Diego Garcia at the end of March, but the most recent imagery from the island no longer shows the bombers present.