The United States has stepped up the movement of military aircraft and naval assets across Europe and towards the Middle East amid reports that President Donald Trump is weighing possible military action against Iran, while new satellite images indicate Tehran is reinforcing a sensitive military facility.
Flight-tracking data reviewed by BBC Verify show a surge in US military aircraft activity, including refuelling tankers, surveillance planes and transport aircraft operating from bases in Spain, Greece and Italy and heading towards the eastern Mediterranean and Gulf region. Analysts say the scale and pace of these movements are unusually high and suggest preparations for large-scale air operations.
Among the aircraft observed were KC-135 aerial refuelling tankers, E-3 surveillance jets and C-17 transport planes operated by the US Air Force. Data from Flightradar24 also indicated that HC-130J aircraft were flying from Europe to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a key hub for US operations in the region.
At the same time, satellite imagery analysed by the Institute for Science and International Security shows Iran has added new layers of protection to a facility at the Parchin military site near Tehran. Images reveal that a concrete shell covering a newly built structure has been sealed with earth, with nearby soil piles suggesting the site could be further buried and transformed into a hardened bunker.
The Washington-based think tank assessed that the arched building may house a high-explosives test chamber and said the additional fortifications point to strategic importance. Parchin has previously been linked by Western analysts to explosives manufacturing and, historically, to nuclear-related testing.
Separately, Iranian state television broadcast footage of naval drills conducted jointly with Russia, including a simulated ship rescue operation. Satellite images showed a Russian navy warship docked at the Bandar Abbas military port. However, experts said the exercises were likely scheduled well in advance and were not necessarily connected to current tensions with Washington.
US military movements have also included the reported presence of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford near Morocco, reinforcing assessments that Washington is positioning forces across multiple theatres.
Defence analysts cautioned that the highly visible nature of the deployments means the US has lost the element of surprise, potentially requiring a broader or more sustained campaign if military action were to be launched.
Meanwhile, Trump has again criticised the United Kingdom’s plan to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back the Diego Garcia military base, marking his third change of position on the deal within a year.
US officials have not confirmed any imminent strike, but the combination of intensified military movements and Iran’s fortification work has heightened regional and international concern over a possible escalation.
With inputs from BBC