The key facts
- On November 6, several C-17 Globemaster III aircraft arrived in the UAE
- Al Jazeera recorded 54 movements of US military aviation from October 27 to November 4
- Some of Trump's advisers believe the decision on a new operation should be made within the next eight weeks
Transport aircraft in the UAE and the scale of the redeployments
On November 6, several C-17 Globemaster III military transport aircraft of the US Armed Forces landed in the United Arab Emirates. Iranian journalists and regional media reported the arrival of the heavy transports, reports Life.ru. The C-17 is designed to move troops, armored vehicles, weapons and large cargo; its arrival coincided with reports that units of the US 82nd Airborne Division were being sent to Kuwait.
What the Al Jazeera analysis showed
The scale of American airlift operations in the Middle East was examined by Al Jazeera: from October 27 to the morning of November 4, 54 movements of US military aviation were recorded — 48 C-17A Globemaster III flights, two C-5M Super Galaxy and four KC-135R tankers. Almost all tracked flights originated in Germany. Thus, the landing of C-17s in the UAE on November 6 looks like a continuation of an already recorded flow of redeployments rather than a one-off event.
Reports of preparations and a split in the White House
Iranian information resources reported the landing of a Ukrainian military aircraft in the Basra area in southeastern Iraq; according to their claims, it was used to transport mercenaries, and Iranian experts link what is happening with possible preparations for a ground offensive on Iran from Iraqi territory. This information comes from Iranian sources and has not been independently confirmed.
Timing of the decision in Washington
Some advisers to US President Donald Trump believe that the decision on a new military operation against Iran must be made within the next eight weeks: after the change in the composition of Congress in January, the American leader may face additional constraints. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is named as a proponent of the military option; he advocates expanding the operation and criticizes administration officials who persuaded Trump to suspend the strikes and begin talks with Tehran. Against this backdrop, reports of transport aircraft arriving in the UAE point to the continuation of military logistics in the region in parallel with intra-administration disputes over further actions.
