SAHARANEWS – US officials braced for Iran to respond to the killing of its most powerful general, noting heightened military readiness in the country and preparing for a possible “tit-for-tat” attempt on the life of an American military commander.
They warned ships across Mideast waterways crucial to global energy supplies about the “possibility of Iranian action” against US maritime interests in the region.
US President Donald Trump ordered the January 2 strike against Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, after the death of an American contractor in Iraq. Now, amid massive demonstrations of Iran’s public mourning period for Soleimani and a state TV report of a deadly stampede at his funeral, officials believe the next steps by America’s longtime foe will determine the ultimate course of the latest crisis.
While officials say American intelligence isn’t clear on whether Iran’s latest military moves are designed to bolster Tehran’s defenses or prepare for an offensive strike, the US is continuing to reinforce its own positions in the region, including repositioning some forces. One official said the US anticipated a “major” attack of some type within the next day or two.
Britain’s The Telegraph newspaper said Tuesday the US had deployed six B-52 strategic bombers to the British overseas territory of Diego Garcia, a tiny island in the central Indian Ocean some 3,900 kilometers (2,400 miles) from southern Iran — “within flying range for the strategic American bombers but beyond the reach of most Iranian missiles,” the paper reported.
In another sign of American muscle-flexing, the US Air Force conducted a photogenic near-simultaneous launch of 52 F-35 fighter jets from Utah’s Hill Air Force Base, according to officials.
The 52 advanced jets took off in the space of 10 minutes, according to the 388th Fighter Wing, which runs the base.
The wing’s deputy commander, Col. Michael Ebner, told Deseret News the launch was not directly related to the Iran crisis, but was nevertheless meant to send a message to enemies and US leaders alike.
“The message is not just to potential adversaries, but it’s also to our nation’s leadership that they can count on the 388th Fighter Wing to support the combat power that they plan and require us to provide.”
Trump had warned Iran it had 52 sites, including Iranian cultural sites, mapped out for targeting.