🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱 - With the US-Iran temporary ceasefire set to expire tomorrow, it i...

🇺🇸🇮🇷🇮🇱 - With the US-Iran temporary ceasefire set to expire tomorrow, it is still unclear if the Iranian delegation will attend the final meetings in Pakistan, with both sides unwilling to budge on key issues like nuclear programs. Meanwhile, the US continues to build up it's forces within the region in the background, with many aspects of the US aerial flights resembling the build-up towards the start of the war, and even more. As we stated previously, the current air buildup in the Middle East is the largest since Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Furthermore, the deployment of three aircraft carrier strike groups would make this not only the largest combat naval buildup, but the largest overall US forces buildup since Operation Iraqi Freedom as well. Two aircraft carrier strike groups are within the CENTCOM area of responsibility, with the third last seen next to Madagascar, estimated to arrive within the week. While most assets that joined the war have remained within the region or rotated out with equal replacements, the US aerial refueler fleet has continued repositioning flights during the ceasefire, with 94 repositioning flights since the start of the ceasefire compared to 135 in the lead-up to the war (Feb 14–28). This likely indicates significant movement of new air assets into the CENTCOM area of operations to join existing forces. U.S. military cargo flights have also seen a large surge when compared to before the war. In the two weeks leading up to the war (Feb 14–28), 542 cargo flights were tracked heading to the region. Meanwhile, during the ceasefire (Apr 8–21), 819 cargo flights were tracked throughout the region, with the majority landing in the Middle East.