US aircraft activity spikes in Eastern Mediterranean as Iran tensions rise

U.S. military flight tracking on 8 July showed an unusual surge of tanker aircraft in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf of Aden. Four Boeing KC‑135R Stratotankers were seen over the Eastern Mediterranean, one over Israel, and five KC‑135R plus two KC‑46 Pegasus tankers operated in the Persian Gulf. The aircraft can carry up to 90 tons of fuel and 37 tons of cargo, supporting aerial operations in the region.

At the same time, U.S. Air Force F‑22 fighter jets that had been stationed at Israel’s Ovda Air Base to take part in attacks on Iran began returning to the United States, with stops in the United Kingdom for refuelling. The deployments followed a series of U.S. air strikes ordered by CENTCOM against Iranian radar sites, missile batteries and Revolutionary Guard naval vessels after Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

Both movements reflect heightened U.S. military readiness as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a tense standoff.