The United States moved overnight air force refueling tankers and C17s to European bases in Prestwick, Scotland, and Aviano in Italy, according to Aurora Intel, a group that reviews open source information in real time in the Middle East.
This comes as the US is shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the Middle East to protect Israel from Iranian attacks as President Donald Trump warns Tehran to step back from the conflict.
A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry issued a warning Wednesday that an American intervention in the ongoing Israeli strikes targeting his country would spark “an all-out war.”
Esmail Baghaei made the comments in an interview live on Al Jazeera English. It was his first in the ongoing conflict.
“I think any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region with very, very bad consequences for the whole international community,” Baghaei said.
The US also has aircraft carriers and long-range bombers it could employ for any attack.
Asked if he thought the US could control Israel, Baghaei grimaced and said, “Not really.”
