The Lajes Air Base in the Azores welcomed 12 refueling aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, though U.S. Department of Defense officials have not disclosed whether the presence of these aircraft is related to the situation in the Middle East.
By Thursday, the Lajes base had eight U.S. Air Force aerial refueling aircraft, as shown by images shared on a social media page focused on aviation in the Azores.
According to observations by Lusa on site, there are currently 12 aerial refueling aircraft at the facility.
When asked about the presence of these aircraft at Lajes, a source from the U.S. Department of Defense stated that “the U.S. European Command routinely hosts U.S. military aircraft (and personnel) on a transient basis, consistent with base access and overflight agreements with allies and partners.”
“Beyond that, we have nothing further to share,” the source added.
Lusa inquired whether it is usual for this number of aircraft to be at Lajes and if it is related to the Middle East situation.
It was also questioned whether there was an expected increase in military aircraft activity at the Lajes base.
On Wednesday, Lusa had previously asked the U.S. Department of Defense about a potential increase in military activity at Lajes due to the Middle East situation but was told that there were no changes to report that day.
Israel launched an offensive against Iran on June 13, targeting military and nuclear program-related sites, to which Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli cities.
One of Iran’s primary uranium production sites, Fordo, requires deep-penetration munitions.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the Pentagon has suggested possible intervention options in Iran to the White House but did not confirm the possibility of military support for Israeli attacks.
Asked on the same day, Donald Trump again refrained from stating whether he had decided to order a U.S. attack on Iran.
“I might do it, I might not do it. Nobody knows what I’m going to do,” Trump said in a conversation with journalists at the White House.
