ABC News reported that the United States has redeployed its military aircraft and warships in and around the Middle East, in a move aimed at protecting Israel from Iranian attacks.
US officials confirmed that, as of Tuesday, the US military had not carried out any offensive operations against Iran, but rather had conducted defensive strikes to intercept Iranian missiles targeting Israel.
Additional US fighter jets and refueling aircraft have been deployed to the region, but officials declined to disclose their numbers. These aircraft also joined defensive strikes to protect Israel, but they emphasized that no US aircraft flew over Iranian territory.
Aurora Intel, a group specializing in monitoring open information in the Middle East, reported that the US Air Force has deployed refueling aircraft and fighter jets to strategic locations in Europe, including the UK, Spain, Germany, and Greece, based on data from public aircraft tracking websites.
US fighter jets are conducting patrols in the Middle East to protect personnel and facilities, while military bases have been placed on high alert and additional security measures have been implemented, officials said.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an interview on Fox News on Monday evening that the military movements are aimed at "ensuring the safety of our forces," without providing further details.
US warships also launched interceptor missiles against Iranian ballistic missiles targeting Israel, with USS The Sullivans and USS Arleigh Burke participating in those strikes over the weekend.
The USS Thomas Hudner joined the Sullivans in the eastern Mediterranean this week to continue defensive strikes, while the Arleigh Burke left the region, a US official said.
The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson is currently in the Arabian Sea, accompanied by four warships in its strike group. Although it is not participating in defensive operations against Israel, it is stationed to provide protection for US forces and bases around the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Gulf.
The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz is expected to replace the Carl Vinson, which is currently sailing from the Indo-Pacific region toward the Middle East.
An official said it will arrive in the region by the end of the month, and the two carriers' missions will likely coincide for some time before Vinson returns to its base in San Diego.
US destroyers are also deployed in the Red Sea, and others are stationed in the western Mediterranean and participating in Baltic Sea maneuvers.
There are currently no B-2 bombers in the Middle East, but B-52 bombers are stationed at Diego Garcia and are capable of launching smaller munitions.
If the B-2 is used, it will require a 30-hour round-trip flight from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, requiring multiple refueling stops along the way.
