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According to Axios, Washington is considering new military scenarios against Iran, while the issue of deploying aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport has also taken on a political dimension in Israel.
The United States is bolstering its military presence in Israel by planning to send dozens of additional aerial refueling planes, Axios reports, citing three American and Israeli officials.
According to the report, this move comes at a time when US President Donald Trump is considering new operational plans that envisage expanding military actions against Iran, beyond the operations currently underway in the Strait of Hormuz region.
Sources cited by Axios say that options being considered include attacks on critical Iranian infrastructure, such as power plants, new strikes on nuclear facilities with the aim of destroying enriched uranium reserves stored deep underground, as well as bombing the Pickaxe Mountain underground facility, which, according to the report, is still under construction.
Although President Trump has not yet made a final decision, American and Israeli officials estimate that he is ready to increase pressure on Tehran, with the aim of pushing Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept American demands regarding its nuclear program.
US military presence in Israel increases
According to Axios, the US currently has about 30 air-to-air supply planes stationed at Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv, and about 30 more at Ramon Airport, in southern Israel.
Israeli officials quoted by US media say that Washington plans to send several dozen more aircraft in the coming days, restoring the military presence to the levels at the beginning of the war.
According to the same sources, the US military prefers that these aircraft operate from Ben Gurion Airport, as other air bases in the region are considered more exposed to possible Iranian attacks and less safe for US aircraft.
Israeli officials estimate that Tehran is not currently planning a direct attack on Israel, as such an action, according to them, would bring widespread retaliation.
"I have only one message for the leaders of Iran: Do not expect there to be calm if you attack us. Do not expect a repeat of events. It will not be a repeat. It will be something much more powerful," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Tuesday.
The issue also takes on a political dimension.
According to Axios, the presence of dozens of American aerial refueling planes at Ben Gurion Airport has become a politically sensitive issue in Israel.
The planes, which have been at the airport for months, have severely limited its operational capacity. As Israeli airspace gradually reopens and summer traffic increases, the deployment of additional planes could cause numerous flight cancellations.
The issue takes on particular political weight with elections just three months away. Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev, a close ally of Netanyahu, has called for the removal of US aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport or at least a reduction in their number. According to Axios, this demand has been opposed by the Defense Ministry and the Israel Defense Forces.
American media adds that the Trump administration has asked Israel to accommodate additional air supply planes, while the final decision is expected to be made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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