Unprecedented US air force movements suggest preparations for a major regional contingency, with Iran clearly at the center.
Over the past 24 hours (January 5–6, 2026), real-time flight-tracking platforms and open-source intelligence (OSINT) have identified unusually large-scale US military air movements from both the United States and Europe toward the Middle East. The scope and composition of these deployments point to far more than routine exercises.
What is happening on the ground
According to OSINT data, more than 30 C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft have been tracked en route to the region, with multiple landings at RAF Fairford in the UK and at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a key hub for US Central Command.