Winds of war

Iran, US reinforce military presence: satellites show concentration of F-35s

Satellite and flight data reveal a massive deployment of US forces in the Middle East and Europe, with F-35 stealth fighters and warships ready for extended air operations.

24 February 2026

Un F-35 americano sul ponte della portaerei USS Abraham Lincoln, schierata al largo dell’Oman (Reuters)

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

3' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The United States rapidly strengthened its military presence near Iran, transferring more than 150 aircraft to bases in Europe and the Middle East after the second round of nuclear negotiations with Tehran concluded without breakthroughs on 17 February, according to flight tracking data and satellite images analysed by the Washington Post.

The current deployment is among the largest in more than two decades, since before the 2003 Iraq war, and follows President Donald Trump's threats of an attack on Iran in the absence of a deal on its nuclear programme. Iranian officials have indicated that an understanding is possible but will take time.

"President Donald Trump's first option is always diplomacy," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters gathered in Washington today, "but as he has demonstrated, he is prepared to use the lethal force of the US military if necessary."

Leavitt emphasised that it will be Trump who will decide on the line to take towards Iran. "I've seen a lot of sensationalist reporting over the last few days, which is simply false. And all those who speculate in the media - hiding behind an anonymous source, claiming to know what President Trump thinks, or claiming to know what decision he will make regarding the measures to be taken towards Iran - have no idea what they are talking about." "Iran wants a deal more than I do," the president told a meeting with leading American journalists before the State of the Union address.

Usa, Trump all'Iran: "Negozi accordo o prossimo attacco sarà molto peggiore"

The deployment of forces

According to experts quoted, the build-up of forces exceeds that observed before the US raids against Iran's nuclear programme last June and appears to indicate preparation for a multi-day air campaign without ground invasion. "The massive level of forces amassed means the US military can execute any of Trump's decisions, from a prolonged, high-intensity campaign to more targeted, limited attacks," said Dana Stroul of the Washington Institute.

Dozens more aircraft are on board the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, spotted off the Greek island of Crete, the second aircraft carrier sent to the region. With its arrival, about a third of active US ships are now deployed in the Middle East.

More than half of the newly deployed aircraft landed at European bases, a positioning that keeps them out of range of most Iranian missiles while remaining operationally ready, explained analyst Gregory Brew of Eurasia Group. The majority of aircraft identifiable in flight data are transport and refuelling aircraft, while fighters often do not transmit position.

Un ChatGPT europeo è possibile?

The role of the airbase in Jordan

A key destination is the Muwaffaq Salti airbase in Jordan, where satellite images show more than 60 aircraft, including more than a dozen F-35 stealth fighters, typically deployed to neutralise adversary air defences and open operational corridors. The US has also deployed over a third of its fleet of E-3G Sentry radar aircraft in Europe and the Middle East, early warning and surveillance platforms.

L'Iran avverte gli Stati Uniti: "Possediamo straordinarie capacità difensive"

Additional fighter jets were observed at European bases, including F-22s at Lakenheath in the UK and F-16s in the Azores, while videos shot at the airport in Chania, Crete, show more F-35s and air tankers. Other assets, including electronic warfare aircraft, are embarked on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, deployed off the coast of Oman.

Both aircraft carriers operate missile launchers equipped with Tomahawk destroyers, the same type of weapon used in the raids against Iranian nuclear targets last year.

Police at universities in Iran to suppress protests

Meanwhile in Iran, the crackdown on anti-government protests continues. Plainclothes police and security forces, many of them armed, attempted to invade the still-open universities in Iran in an attempt to crack down on the fourth day of student protests against the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. This was reported by The Guardian. There are reports of clashes taking place on some campuses, with videos showing brawls between the Basji state-backed militia and students at Tehran University of Science and Technology. Pick-up trucks armed with machine guns were photographed parked outside Tehran University, with demonstrations also taking place in Mashhad.