Dozens of American military aircraft have withdrawn from the tarmac of one of the largest US military bases in the Middle East, satellite images show, apparently to protect themselves from possible Iranian strikes, as Washington weighs whether to get involved in the war between Israel and Iran.
Between June 5 and 19, the US al-Udeid base in Qatar was almost completely emptied of discrete aircraft, according to satellite images from Planet Labs PBC in the possession of Agence France-Presse.
Nearly forty military aircraft were parked near the base's runway on June 5: large transports capable of carrying supplies, reconnaissance aircraft, and special operations aircraft such as the Hercules C-130. But in a photo taken yesterday, Thursday, June 19, only three transports were visible.
Moreover, the US, "as a precaution and in light of the hostilities in the region," advised its "personnel to exercise particular vigilance" and "temporarily restricted" access to facilities in Al Udeid, according to a press release dated yesterday and posted on the website of its embassy in Qatar.
These moves are being recorded while US President Donald Trump is expected to decide – within two weeks, according to the White House – on his country's possible involvement in the war on Israel's side against Iran, which could lead to Iranian retaliatory strikes against several US bases in the region.
Due to its "proximity to Iran" – less than 300 kilometers – the al-Udeid base, its aircraft, its personnel and its facilities are in an "extremely vulnerable" position, Mark Schwartz, a retired American general who served in the Middle East and now an expert at the Rand Corporation think tank, told AFP.
Even if it doesn't suffer a direct hit, "missile fragments could mean it won't be able to carry out missions," he added. For this reason, "the risks to American forces must be reduced," he explained.
The aircraft that were moved since early June may now be protected in reinforced hangars or at other bases in the area. Asked by AFP, the US military has not yet commented.
These movements are part of the redeployment of US armed forces in the region following Israel's attack on Iran on June 13.
Another aircraft carrier is en route to the Middle East region, while many aircraft have also been moved to the region.
Agence France-Presse analyzed ADS-B data (publicly available and open source) and filtered it to detect flights of American aerial refueling aircraft – KC-46A Pegasus, KC-135 Stratotanker – which passed through European airspace at least once between June 15 and 18. They can carry up to 96 tons of fuel.
At least 25 examples of these types flew from the US to Europe during this period and were still in Europe on the evening of June 18. More specifically, 27 made such trips, of which two returned.
Source: protothema.gr
