The situation in the Middle East is rapidly deteriorating. On the first anniversary of the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani by the Americans, retaliation is expected in the region. At gunpoint – American military facilities in Iraq and the Gulf countries. In this regard, the United States sent an aircraft carrier strike group and a missile submarine to the region. Will a new war in the Middle East begins in the new year, MK asked an expert.
On the night of December 25-26, users of the FlightRadar service reported that five US Air Force tankers at once took to the skies over Iraq. According to media reports, the planes practiced refueling military aircraft in the air in the event of a large-scale military conflict.
According to the plan of the exercises, the flying tankers worked out refueling the strategic bombers B-52, which arrived in Iraq from the US Air Force “Ramstein” airbase in Germany. Over the past few days, US tanker aircraft have regularly taken to the Iraqi skies and patrolled the country’s airspace along the Iranian border.
On December 12, the Pentagon announced that two B-52 strategic bombers had made a reconnaissance mission into the Persian Gulf region. The planes took off from the US Air Force base in Louisiana, passed over the Atlantic, refueled in the skies over Germany, and passed along the Iranian air borders. As noted in the American military department, the flight was supposed to demonstrate to the enemy the readiness of the United States to act quickly in any unforeseen circumstances.
FlightRadar users also recorded the activity of American electronic warfare aircraft in the skies over the Persian Gulf. The Lockheed EC130H Compass Call aircraft took off from the US Air Force base in Kuwait the day before and flew over the coast of the Persian Gulf.
American military activity in the region is not limited to the dispatch of additional air forces. On December 22, it became known that the USS Georgia nuclear submarine and two missile cruisers were sent to the region. Simultaneously with the chaos, a strike group of the American fleet headed by the aircraft carrier Nimitz headed for the Persian Gulf. According to the latest information, the group is in the waters of the Indian Ocean.
Allies support American forces in the region. According to the Times of Israel, an Israeli naval submarine has appeared in the Persian Gulf.
Military preparations in the region began immediately after the assassination of Iranian nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. The Iranian authorities have accused the Israeli and US special services of the murder, promising revenge. This was followed by attacks on the US Embassy in Baghdad and several attacks on US military installations in Iraq.
According to military expert Alexander Mikhailovsky, the danger of a conflict in the region is extremely high. And there are several prerequisites for this.
–Â Â We have already discussed this earlier, now the predictions are starting to come true. Trump in the United States speaks again and again about his election victory, but he cannot convince anyone of this. In this situation, the war could help him slightly delay Biden’s inauguration, mobilize reserves, and try to count the votes again. Not surprisingly, Israel is helping him in this. The only thing Trump has achieved during his term is strengthening Israel’s position in the region. Spike Trump – Netanyahu keeps the Israeli government afloat. If Trump leaves, Israel will be able to dismiss their prime minister. So they’re in the same boat now.
–Â Â How do you see the possible upcoming conflict?Â
–  The US can launch a massive strike on Iranian military installations in Iraq and Syria, thereby provoking Iran to retaliate. In my opinion, the Iranians themselves do not need war at all now, so they will have to be provoked. Perhaps an attempt on the life of some of the high-ranking Iranian officials or officers, or other provocation in this spirit. Or the Pentagon has planned pinpoint strikes against key Iranian targets. Then Trump will declare: here, I am a fine fellow, what kind of president are you overthrowing, change your mind. You might say that this is not rational. But if Trump’s term has taught us anything, it’s that his administration rarely acts rationally.
