Jordan is part of a US-led 'regional construct' to protect Israel alongside other Arab states in the event of war with Iran
News Desk - The Cradle
Satellite images taken on Friday show the number of US warplanes at the Muwaffaq Salti base has more than tripled to over 60.
At the same time, flight tracking data shows that at least 68 cargo planes have landed at the base since Sunday. Additional fighter jets could be located at the base, but hidden from aerial view by shelters.
The aircraft visible in the images includes F-35 stealth jets, the most advanced aircraft in the US military's possession, as well as several drones and helicopters.
US forces also established new air defenses to protect the base in the case of an Iranian missile attack in retaliation.
Jordanian officials told the NYT that the US planes and equipment are deployed there as part of a defense agreement with Washington.
Jordan is quietly facilitating US preparations for war on Iran while publicly claiming they will not allow their territory to be used for a war against Tehran.
"Officially, Amman confirms it will not allow the use of its territory for any attack, in a clear attempt to establish neutrality and keep the country away from the line of fire," according to a Jordanian source speaking with Israel's Ynet.
Iranian officials have stated their armed forces will attack any regional states assisting the US in a renewed attack on the country.
In October, leaked documents revealed by the Washington Post showed that while Arab states condemned Israel's war on Palestinians in Gaza as a genocide, they were simultaneously secretly expanding military cooperation with the US and Israel to help wage a war on Iran.
The documents, written between 2022 and 2025, show that officials from six Arab countries joined their Israeli and US counterparts for a series of meetings in Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, and Qatar over the past three years.
The documents described efforts by the US military to create the "Regional Security Construct," which would include Israel, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
The participants met to prepare to protect Israel during a possible war with Iran by integrating their forces with US air defense systems.
The documents show that the "centerpiece of the construct" was "an air-defense plan to combat Iran's missiles and drones," the Post wrote.
The current US military build-up in Jordan comes amid a broader effort to amass military assets in the region in preparation for an attack on Iran.
Trump has said he will attack the Islamic Republic if it does not reach a deal on his terms regarding Tehran's nuclear program, setting a 10 to 15-day deadline on 19 February.
If Trump orders an attack, it is expected to be larger than the bombing he ordered in June of last year targeting Iran's nuclear sites.
Iran's retaliation, including the use of ballistic and hypersonic missiles against US bases and Israel, is also expected to be much larger.
"It will be very hard for the Trump administration to do a one-and-done kind of attack in Iran this time around," Ali Vaez, an Iran expert at the International Crisis Group, told PBS.
"Because the Iranians would respond in a way that would make all-out conflict inevitable," Vaez added.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers have been in the Arabian Sea since the end of January.
Two weeks ago, Trump ordered a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with three destroyers, to head to the region.
Dozens of fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s, F-15s, and F-16s, stationed at bases in the US and Europe have also been spotted heading to West Asia.
The US military has also deployed 85 fuel tankers and over 170 cargo planes to the region.
In contrast to previous wars against Iraq, the US is not deploying a ground force to the region.
The US deployed more than 500,000 troops to attack Iraq during the Gulf War in 1991, and roughly 250,0000 soldiers to invade and occupy Iraq in 2003.
"So there are substantial limits to the force package," Seth Jones, a defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told PBS.
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