US Air Patrols Over Gulf Heighten Iran‑US Tensions

U.S. military aircraft, including Boeing E‑3 Sentry early‑warning planes and KC‑135 and KC‑46 refueling jets, have been operating from Saudi and Qatari bases and flying over the Gulf and Omani airspace. The flights support a recent series of U.S. strikes on Iranian targets, which were launched in response to Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has retaliated by striking U.S. facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait. The presence of U.S. air assets in the region, especially at the large Al‑Many aircraft base in Qatar, has prompted Iranian officials to label those bases legitimate targets for further strikes.