Dozens of U.S. Air Force aircraft were active across CONUS and Europe, including aerial refueling tankers, transport aircraft, and an E-3 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft.

By World Israel News Staff

A large-scale U.S. military airlift continued overnight as tensions with Iran intensified, with open-source flight tracking data showing a surge in American aircraft movements across the United States and Europe.

According to publicly available flight trackers, dozens of U.S. Air Force aircraft were active across the continental United States and Europe, including aerial refueling tankers, transport aircraft, and an E-3 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft.

The activity comes amid growing signs of a broader U.S. force buildup tied to potential Middle East operations.

Several E-3G AWACS aircraft have recently deployed from the United States to Europe, positioning assets typically used to coordinate large-scale air operations.

Two aircraft flew from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska to RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, while four departed Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma for Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Wow.

Watching 36 USAF aircraft – 22 tankers, 13 transports and an E-3 AWACS over CONUS and Europe over the last 4 hours. pic.twitter.com/V1gm8ssfWr

— Evergreen Intel (@vcdgf555) February 18, 2026

Separately, a U.S. official confirmed to Axios that more than 50 American fighter jets have been repositioned to the Middle East, including F-22, F-35, and F-16 aircraft.

The movements were first identified through open-source flight tracking data and monitoring accounts, with additional reporting by the BBC noting a sharp increase in military flights heading toward the region.

Additionally, U.S. Central Command’s Farsi-language account released footage Tuesday night showing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft and F-35C Lightning II fighters preparing for operations aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is operating in international waters in the Middle East and conducting round-the-clock flight operations in support of regional security.

هواپیماهای ئی‌ای – 18-جی گرولر (EA-18G Growlers) از اسکادران جنگ الکترونیک ۱۳۳ و جنگنده‌های F-35C لایتنینگ ۲ از اسکادران جنگنده ۳۱۴ تفنگداران دریایی، روی عرشه پرواز ناو یو‌اس‌اس آبراهام لینکلن برای پرواز آماده می‌شوند.
این ناو هواپیمابر که در آب‌های بین‌المللی خاورمیانه حضور… pic.twitter.com/HFYpE7UQQ0

— U.S. Central Command-Farsi (@CENTCOMFarsi) February 17, 2026

The deployments come against the backdrop of a second round of fragile U.S.–Iran nuclear talks in Switzerland, continued Iranian threats toward American forces, and an expanding U.S. military presence that now includes two aircraft carriers, one already in the region and another en route.

The unprecedented buildup underscores a growing sense that the region may be approaching a decisive moment, with military readiness advancing alongside increasingly fragile diplomacy.

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