US fighter jets tracked as heading towards the Middle East could be laying the groundwork for a major bombing campaign.
The uptick in warplanes travelling to the Gulf is likely to be used to clear the way for heavy bombers to strike at the heart of Iran’s regime, experts have said.
Large numbers of American combat aircraft and support planes such as air-to-air refuellers have been seen moving eastwards this week.
The combination of the approaching USS Gerald R Ford strike group and the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which is already positioned in the Arabian Sea, analysts predict that Donald Trump is preparing a sustained military campaign against Iran.
One source in the US administration said there was now a 90 per cent chance of war in the coming weeks. An Israeli former intelligence chief said he believed the strike would take place within days.
More than 50 American fighter jets, including F-35s and F-16s, were moved to the region in the 24 hours before Tuesday night. In the meantime, dozens of eastward flights of air-to-air refuelling tankers have also been tracked.