US assets in Middle East come into play as country launches combat ops against Iran

President Trump said the US has commenced "major combat operations" against Iran after amassing a significant air and maritime arsenal in the Middle East in recent weeks.

The US military buildup, believed to be its largest in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, constitutes two carrier strike groups and a variety of fighter aircraft including F-35s, F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16s.

We examine the full complement of US military assets below.

• Raptors, Wild Weasels and Dragon Ladies: US air assets stacked up against Iran
• Second US carrier en route to Middle East as tensions with Iran continue to run hot
• Lightning strikes: F-35 shoots down Iranian Shahed drone as it heads toward US carrier

Air power

At least 200 heavy transport flights of C-17 and giant C-5 Galaxy aircraft are believed to have arrived in the Middle East since mid-January. 

These aircraft have carried advanced air defence Patriot missiles and THAAD systems into Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and possibly Kuwait, augmenting systems that were already positioned in Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Alongside tankers, the US has brought in a significant number of fighter aircraft, including F-35s, F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16s, into the region. Muwaffaq Salti airbase in central Jordan is playing host to many of these jets, alongside Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.

The US has also prepositioned refuelling KC-135 and KC-46 refuelling aircraft across Europe, allowing for the rapid replenishment of fighter aircraft if required. 

Sea power

The US has two aircraft carriers in the region, the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R Ford, together with associated strike groups. 

The USS Abraham Lincoln has been positioned off the coast of Oman for some time. She is equipped with roughly 60 F/A-18 and F-35 attack aircraft, while her strike group also includes three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which carry Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of over 1,000 miles. 

The USS Gerald R Ford is a newer arrival in the region, having conducted a high-speed crossing across the Atlantic from the Caribbean where she was previously stationed. 

Other assets include five Arleigh Burke class destroyers across the Persian Gulf, northern Red Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, plus another three set to arrive alongside the USS Gerald R Ford. Several of these are equipped with high altitude Standard Mark 3 missiles.

With additional reporting by Richard White