US Satellite Evidence Suggests Imminent War, 150 Fighter Jets 'Surround' Iran
The United States has significantly increased its military presence around Iran, deploying more than 150 aircraft to several bases in Europe and the Middle East. This deployment occurred after the second round of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran ended without a breakthrough on 17 February.
According to flight tracking data and satellite imagery reviewed by the Washington Post, this increase in forces brings the US military presence in the region to one of its highest levels in over two decades, since before the Iraq War in 2003. This move comes amid increasing pressure from US President Donald Trump on Iran regarding its nuclear program.
“The large force build-up means the US military can execute whatever Trump decides, from a sustained and highly kinetic campaign to a more targeted and limited strike,” said Dana Stroul, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East, as quoted by the Washington Post, quoted Wednesday (25/2/2026).
Analysts say this deployment exceeds the military build-up seen before the US strike against Iranian nuclear facilities in June last year. The assets gathered are considered to indicate readiness for an air campaign lasting several days without involving a ground invasion.
However, a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Mark Cancian, warned that a prolonged air campaign lasting for weeks would require additional, larger military assets. This may not be advantageous for the US.
On the ground, dozens of additional aircraft are currently on board the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, which has been spotted in waters near the island of Crete, Greece. The aircraft carrier is the second aircraft carrier sent to the Middle East region, a rare occurrence that reflects a serious escalation in US military preparedness.
Overall, Washington now has more than a dozen warships in the Middle East, including one aircraft carrier, nine destroyers, and three littoral combat ships. The presence of two US aircraft carriers simultaneously in the region is seen as a strong signal that Washington is preparing various military options amid escalating tensions with Iran.