- July 19, 2026
- 1:48 pm
- Middle East
The United States is preparing a large-scale reinforcement of its air group in the Middle East. Dozens of additional tanker aircraft are being sent to Israel, and F-35 fighters and specialized F-16s designed to suppress air defense systems are being transferred from American airbases in the UK and Germany.
This is not just a show of force.
The infrastructure being created allows American aviation to stay over Iran longer, increase the number of combat sorties, support operations against radars and anti-aircraft complexes, and, with a political decision from Washington, significantly expand the list of targets.
About 60 tankers were already in Israel
The American publication Axios reported on July 17, 2026, that President Donald Trump’s administration notified Israel of the decision to send several dozen additional military tanker aircraft to the country.
According to the publication, at that time about 30 American tankers were at Ben Gurion International Airport, and approximately the same number were at Ramon Airport in southern Israel.
Thus, even before the new transfer, the American group numbered about 60 tanker aircraft. After the arrival of additional machines, its number could indeed approach one hundred, although the Pentagon has not officially announced the exact number of aircraft.
Axios links the decision to discussions in the White House Situation Room about new options for a military campaign against Iran.
Among the scenarios presented to Donald Trump were strikes on Iranian infrastructure, new attacks on nuclear program facilities, and a possible operation against the alleged underground site Pickaxe Mountain. A final decision to move to such a large-scale campaign had not been made at the time of publication.
However, the transfer of dozens of tankers itself shows that the US is creating opportunities to expand the war in advance.
A large number of such aircraft is necessary not for a single attack, but for a prolonged air operation in which fighters, reconnaissance aircraft, and other aviation must remain at a significant distance from their bases for hours.
The war has already transitioned to a mode of daily American strikes
The United States Central Command reported that on the night of July 18, 2026, American forces conducted the eighth consecutive night of strikes on Iran.
According to an official CENTCOM statement, the targets were coastal surveillance facilities, air defense systems, naval forces, as well as missile and drone storage sites. The American military stated that they continue to reduce Iran’s ability to conduct attacks and control the Persian Gulf region.
This makes the transfer of tanker aircraft especially important.
American strikes are no longer a one-time operation. They have turned into a consistent campaign that requires constant aviation presence, regular aircraft rotation, and continuous in-air refueling.
NANews — Israel News notes: the concentration of dozens of American tankers at Israeli airfields indicates preparation not only for the continuation of current strikes but also for the possibility of their rapid expansion.
Why tankers determine the scale of the air war
The KC-135 Stratotanker remains the main aerial refueling aircraft of the US Air Force. According to official information from the US Air Force, these machines provide fuel for Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and allied aviation.
The newer KC-46A Pegasus has expanded refueling, cargo transport, and medical evacuation capabilities. They were created as a replacement for the aging KC-135 fleet and can be used simultaneously in several types of operations.
The presence of dozens of such machines allows:
keeping fighters in the air longer;
increasing the flight range of combat aviation;
conducting repeated target approaches;
supporting round-the-clock air patrols;
refueling aircraft operating against Iranian air defenses;
reducing dependence on airfields located close to Iran.
In fact, each additional tanker increases not only the range but also the intensity of the entire air campaign.
F-35s are being sent from the UK, F-16 Wild Weasel from Germany
The American specialized publication Air & Space Forces Magazine reported on July 17, 2026, that the Pentagon is simultaneously transferring additional combat aircraft to the Middle East.
F-35A Lightning II fighters from the 48th Fighter Wing, based at RAF Lakenheath, are being sent from the UK.
F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 480th Fighter Squadron are being transferred from Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.
This is an important clarification: some reports mentioned F-15s supposedly being transferred from Germany. American sources indicate that it is specifically about specialized F-16s.
The official website of Spangdahlem Air Base confirms that the 480th Squadron is capable of performing Wild Weasel missions — suppression and destruction of enemy air defenses.
Its F-16s are designed to detect and engage active radars, anti-aircraft missile systems, and other elements of the air defense system.
The task of such aircraft is to clear the way for the main strike aviation.
First, F-16 Wild Weasel detects radar activity and forces the enemy to activate detection systems. Then radar and anti-aircraft missile positions can be suppressed by electronic warfare means or destroyed by munitions.
After this, F-35s, bombers, and other strike aircraft can operate with less risk.
In March 2026, Air & Space Forces Magazine already reported that F-16 Wild Weasel from Germany participated in operations against Iranian air defenses. Simultaneously, F-35s and F-15Es, based in the UK or transferred from there to the region, were used in the campaign.
The figure ’14 aircraft’ requires caution
In foreign publications, the number 14 American tanker aircraft does indeed appear, but it does not refer to the last July weekend.
The American publication The War Zone reported that just before the start of hostilities on February 28, 2026, nine KC-46A Pegasus and five KC-135 Stratotanker — a total of 14 machines — arrived at Ben Gurion. After the start of the war, the American presence at the airport increased significantly.
There is no independent confirmation that another 14 tankers arrived specifically on July 17–18 in available American and international sources.
Therefore, in publications, it is safer to talk about the confirmed transfer of several dozen additional aircraft, rather than asserting as an established fact the arrival of specifically 14 machines on the last weekend.
At the same time, the overall trend is undeniable: the American air group in Israel is expanding.
Ben Gurion was overwhelmed with military aviation
The presence of dozens of American aircraft has already affected the operation of Israel’s main international airport.
Reuters reported on May 28, 2026, that due to the deployment of American military aviation, Ben Gurion was operating at about a third of its normal capacity.
According to the head of the Airports Authority, up to 70% of the airport’s space and infrastructure capabilities were restricted for military needs. This posed a threat of mass flight cancellations during the summer vacation period.
Reuters had already published materials on May 19 confirming the presence of a large number of American tankers at the airport’s parking areas. Thus, the American group began forming long before the current July reinforcement.
Placing some aircraft in Ramon helps reduce the load on Ben Gurion, but the arrival of several dozen more machines again raises questions about available parking, technical maintenance, security, and the organization of military flights alongside civilian aviation.
What the transfer of nearly a hundred tankers means
Tanker aircraft themselves do not strike Iranian targets.
But they make a large-scale and prolonged air war possible.
Without refueling, a fighter is limited by its fuel supply and must quickly return to base. With the support of KC-135 or KC-46, it can remain in the operation zone much longer, await strike orders, escort other aircraft, or re-attack a target.
The simultaneous arrival of F-35s and F-16 Wild Weasel shows the intended structure of the American operation.
Specialized F-16s are to suppress radars and anti-aircraft complexes. Stealthy F-35s can penetrate areas with remaining air defenses, gather intelligence, and deliver precise strikes. Tankers provide the necessary range and flight duration for both groups.
NANews — Israel News notes that this is about creating an entire air system: tankers ensure the duration of the operation, F-16s clear the airspace, and F-35s and other strike aircraft can operate over Iran with less risk.
Main conclusion
American and international sources confirm that the US is sending several dozen additional tanker aircraft to Israel.
About 60 such machines were already at Ben Gurion and Ramon by July 17, 2026, so after the transfer is completed, the total number of the group could approach one hundred aircraft.
Simultaneously, the Pentagon is transferring F-35s from the UK and specialized F-16 Wild Weasel from Germany. The latter are intended to suppress and destroy Iranian radars and air defense systems.
Against the backdrop of eight consecutive nights of American strikes on Iran, this does not look like a symbolic gesture, but rather as preparation of infrastructure for a prolonged and potentially more extensive air war.