President Trump heard several new military plans against Iran during a situation room meeting on the 14th , and is currently considering a large-scale offensive that would extend beyond the current US strikes around the Strait of Hormuz. Axios reported on the 17th that three US and Israeli officials stated that the US has notified Israel of its readiness to send dozens more aerial refueling tankers to the region in preparation for a possible expansion of military action against Iran.
Trump is considering options including bombing infrastructure such as power plants, further attacks on nuclear facilities to bury Iranian enriched uranium deeper, and bombing the suspected “Pickaxe Mountain” underground base under construction. US and Israeli officials have indicated he may order an expansion of military operations in the coming days. While Trump has not yet made a final decision, he appears willing to escalate the conflict to force the Iranian regime to open the Strait of Hormuz and accept his nuclear demands through sufficient destruction.
The United States currently has approximately 30 military aerial refueling tankers deployed at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, and another 30 at Ramon Airport in southern Israel. Iran, fearing a potential large-scale retaliation, has not yet launched an attack on Israel. Israeli officials stated that the United States hopes to send dozens more aerial refueling tankers in the coming days, restoring the deployment to levels seen at the beginning of the war. Because other air bases in the region are more vulnerable to Iranian attacks and less safe for US aircraft, the US prefers to have aerial refueling tankers operate from Ben Gurion Airport.
However, dozens of US refueling aircraft have been parked at Ben Gurion Airport for months, nearly overwhelming the airport. At the height of the conflict, Israeli airspace was largely closed, and many airlines suspended flights to Tel Aviv, thus minimizing the problem. Now that airspace has reopened and people are traveling abroad for summer vacations, the increased number of US refueling aircraft taking off and landing at Ben Gurion Airport could lead to widespread flight cancellations, making this a political hot potato for Israel.
With only three months until the Israeli elections, this issue could severely impact Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ruling coalition. The Trump administration has asked the Israeli government to accept the additional refueling aircraft, with Netanyahu holding the final decision-making power; however, his close ally, Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev, has pressured the removal of US military refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion International Airport, or at least a reduction in their number, a demand opposed by the Ministry of Defense and the Israel Defense Forces.
