The People’s Liberation Army and Chinese commercial tech firm MizarVision this week published high-resolution satellite imagery of significant buildup of U.S. military forces around Iran, as fears of a potential U.S. strike on Tehran intensify.
As reported by South China Morning Post, images shared on social media show what the Chinese sources describe as “the latest American deployments at bases in Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.” At Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, analysts noted 18 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters and six EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft parked on runways, movements the report says underscore the expanding scope of US force posture near the Middle East.
Iran and the United States are moving closer to a potential military clash as hopes fade for a diplomatic solution to the standoff over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
“US media has reported that the United States military appears ready to strike Iran this weekend” reads SCMP. US President Donald Trump is “considering a limited strike to force Tehran into a deal” over its nuclear program — an offer Tehran insists remains peaceful.
In Washington, Trump reportedly set a “10- to 15-day deadline” for progress in negotiations, warning that “bad things” could follow if a diplomatic solution fails.
Iran has warned that it would respond forcefully to any attack. On Monday, Tehran briefly shut the Strait of Hormuz to carry out live-fire military exercises, a move that came just a day before it engaged in the latest round of nuclear negotiations with the United States on Tuesday.
According to MizarVision’s analysis, the United States has also deployed C-130 and C-17 transport aircraft, KC-135 aerial refuelling tankers and E-3C airborne early warning and control aircraft to additional bases across the region, with several transiting through Germany en route.
Satellite imagery published by MizarVision also captured Iran’s own military movements, including the drone carrier IRIS Shahid Bagheri accompanied by an escort warship near the country’s coastline.
Meanwhile, the People’s Liberation Army, via its official social media platform China Military Bugle, released a video featuring high-resolution satellite images of eight US bases in the region that it said were under surveillance.
