Washington: Satellite images show that almost all American military planes have been removed from a large American air base in Qatar, while Washington weighs if it is necessary to intervene in the Tehran conflict with Israel.
The images, taken earlier this month, reveal a sharp drop in the number of planes on the ground – a decision that protected them from Iranian attacks possible as tensions increase in the region.
Nearly 40 military planes – including transport aircraft such as Hercules C -130 and recognition planes – were parked on the Tarmac at the base of Al Udeid on June 5, according to images published by Planet Labs PBC and analyzed by AFP.
In an image taken on June 19, only three planes are visible.
The United States Embassy in Qatar announced Thursday that access to the base would be limited “by abundance of prudence and the light of current regional hostilities” and urged staff to “make increased vigilance”.
The White House said that US President Donald Trump will decide over the next two weeks to join the strikes of Ally Israel on Iran. The Islamic Republic could then react by hitting American bases in the region.
Mark Schwartz, former Lieutenant-General of the US Army and Defense Researcher at the RAND Corporation, said that the staff, planes and installations of Al Udeid would be “extremely vulnerable” given his “proximity” of Iran.
Schwartz, who served in the Middle East, told AFP that even bursts of bus could make the plane “not sheltered”.
“You want to reduce the risks for American forces, staff and equipment,” he said.
The planes that left the Tarmac since early June could have been moved to hangars or in other bases in the region.
An American defense official would not discuss the specific positioning of assets, but told AFP: “We remain determined to maintain operational security while executing our mission with the highest level of preparation, lethality and professionalism.”
The American forces in the Middle East have been mobilized since the first strikes of Israel on Iran almost a week ago, with an additional aircraft carrier on the way and an important aircraft movement.
An AFP analysis of the positioning of open source monitoring aircraft has shown that at least 27 military supply planes-KC-46A Pegasus and KC-135 Stratotanker-traveled from the United States to Europe from June 15 to 18.
Twenty-five of them were still in Europe on Wednesday, with only two return to American soil, showed data.
