Trump Seeks Israeli Approval for Dozens More U.S. Tankers as Iran Strike Plans Broaden
Updated
Updated · Ynetnews · Jul 17
Trump Seeks Israeli Approval for Dozens More U.S. Tankers as Iran Strike Plans Broaden
3 articles · Updated · Ynetnews · Jul 17
Summary
Washington formally asked Israel to approve several dozen additional U.S. refueling aircraft, a move officials said could support a wider American air campaign against Iran within days.
The tankers would extend the range and endurance of U.S. fighters and bombers as Trump weighs options beyond recent strikes, including attacks on power plants, nuclear sites and the suspected Pickaxe Mountain facility.
U.S. forces already hit at least seven bridges around Bandar Abbas overnight in a fifth straight day of attacks, while Iran stepped up strikes on U.S. bases in Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq and Kuwait.
About 60 U.S. tankers are already in Israel—roughly 30 at Ben Gurion Airport and 30 at Ramon Air Base—and Washington wants to restore numbers to early-war levels.
Ben Gurion has faced severe congestion from the deployment, setting up a clash inside Israel as Transport Minister Miri Regev pushes limits on the aircraft while the Defense Ministry and IDF oppose restrictions; Netanyahu is expected to decide.
After a failed truce and an assassination, can a massive U.S. air campaign actually force Iran to negotiate?
Is the U.S. about to strike Iran's secret 'Pickaxe Mountain' nuclear site, risking uncontrollable escalation?
With the Strait of Hormuz shut, how will the global economy cope with a predicted $200 barrel oil shock?
The 2026 U.S.-Iran War: Military Escalation, Humanitarian Disaster, and the Fight for the Strait of Hormuz
Overview
In July 2026, the conflict between the United States and Iran sharply escalated as the U.S. expanded airstrikes on key Iranian infrastructure to pressure Tehran into easing its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route Iran had held since February. To support these intensified operations, the U.S. sought Israeli approval to deploy more aerial refueling tankers, highlighting the increased operational demands of longer-range missions. This surge in military action followed a brief period of de-escalation after a memorandum of understanding, but renewed hostilities quickly reversed any progress, deepening the crisis and destabilizing the region.