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USAF Tanker Fleet Heading Towards Middle East

U.S. Forward Deploys Dozens of Aerial Tankers Amid Possible Entry Into Israel-Iran War

Although Israeli Air Force F-15 fighters are capable of reaching Iranian territory without refuelling in the air, the large majority of the fleet is comprised of F-16s which lack the range needed to strike most Iranian targets even when carrying external fuel tanks and employing long range air-launched cruise or ballistic missile.

Western fighters on average have far shorter ranges than their Chinese or Russian counterparts, which has resulted in a very heavy reliance on aerial refuelling for operations against state adversaries. The F-35, for example, has a combat radius of approximately 1000 kilometres, compared to approximately 2000 kilometres for the Chinese J-20 or Russian Su-34.

The U.S. Navy’s carrier groups’ potential vulnerability to Iranian missile strikes is expected to force them to launch sorties across considerable distances, which could make aerial refuelling support highly valuable. Although the United States has committed itself to Israel’s defence for decades, the risks of more actively joining the war effort remain significant, with Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal having the potential to threaten military bases across the Middle East and much of Europe.

The Iranian arsenal has demonstrated high levels of precision and the ability to penetrate even very densely defended airspace, which makes it a particularly significant deterrent to escalation.

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Damage Inside Israel after Iranian Retaliation

Iran's Hypersonic Missiles Hit Israeli Refinery, Military Sites, as Israel does the same to Tehran [_link] via @jricole

— Juan Cole (@jricole) June 15, 2025

UPDATE 3: Israeli rescuers said that 35 people were injured in the centre of the country, after Iran fired a salvo of missiles at Israel, as reported by Israeli media.[_link]

— Ahram Online (@ahramonline) June 13, 2025

Several sites hit in Israel after Iran missile barrage – an Overview | Ahram Online |

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