Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 28, 2026
3 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleSatellite imagery from Feb 17 to Feb 25 shows aircraft at Prince Sultan Air Base rising from 27 to 43, including KC‑135 tankers and E‑3 AWACS, amid the largest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East since 2003, driven by tensions with Iran.
By Catherine Cartier, Eleanor Whalley and Maria Laguna
Feb 27 (Reuters) - Satellite images showed a rise in the number of military support aircraft including refuelling tankers at a Saudi airbase used by the U.S. military during a four-day period in February, as Washington built forces in the region amid tensions with Iran.
Saudi Arabia, a longstanding U.S. ally, told Iran last month it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used for military actions against Tehran, which held indirect negotiations with Washington on Thursday over its nuclear programme.
In a high-resolution satellite image taken on February 21, at least 43 aircraft were visible at Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Airbase - which has hosted U.S. forces for decades - compared with 27 aircraft visible in a February 17 image.
The number dropped to 38 in a February 25 image.
PLANES INCLUDE BOEING KC-135 STRATOTANKERS
The aircraft in the February 21 image included 13 Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers and six Boeing E-3 Sentry aircraft known as AWACS, among a total of 29 large, swept-wing aircraft parked at the base, William Goodhind, a forensic imagery analyst with Contested Ground, told Reuters.
In the February 17, medium-resolution image, 11 large, swept-wing aircraft were visible, according to a Reuters tally.
Asked for comment, the Pentagon said it had "nothing to provide". The U.S. military does not usually comment on force movements.
The Saudi government's media office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Oman, which is mediating between the United States and Iran, said the sides made progress in talks on Thursday, though there was no sign of a breakthrough that could avert potential U.S. strikes.
Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi said on Thursday the sides plan to resume negotiations soon after consultations in their countries' capitals, with technical-level discussions scheduled to take place next week in Vienna.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on February 19 that Iran must make a deal in 10 to 15 days, warning that "really bad things" would otherwise happen.
A comparison of satellite imagery in early February with those taken in January also showed a build-up of aircraft and other military equipment across the region.
Recent satellite images have also shown Iran repairing and fortifying sites, including a sensitive military site reportedly bombed by Israel in 2024.
(Additional reporting by Marine Delrue in Barcelona, Idrees Ali in Washington and Maha El Dahan in Dubai; Writing by Edmund Blair and Tom Perry; Editing by Andrew Heavens)
Recent satellite images revealed an increase in US military support aircraft at Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Airbase during February.
Aircraft included Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers and Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS, among other large, swept-wing aircraft.
The buildup aligns with rising regional tensions involving Iran and a need for strategic placements amid indirect US-Iran negotiations.
At least 43 aircraft were seen on February 21, compared with 27 on February 17 and 38 on February 25.
The Pentagon stated it had 'nothing to provide'; US military comment on force movements is rare.
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