US tanker operates over Persian Gulf after shoot-down order

A U.S. Air Force KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tanker is actively conducting repeated refueling maneuvers over the Persian Gulf off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. This sustained operation follows a statement by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that any Iranian aircraft approaching within 200 nautical miles of a U.S. ship will be shot down. The tanker's presence underscores heightened U.S. military readiness and air operations in the region amid ongoing tensions with Iran.