Satellite Image Shows US Air Power Buildup at Island Base Near Iran

New satellite images showed U.S. forces increasing their air power at an Indian Ocean base that could be a staging point for any attack on Iran, according to an open source intelligence analyst.

Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) for comment.

Why It Matters

Ongoing activity at the Diego Garcia airbase, a strategic operating location for both the U.K. and British armies, comes amid tensions with Iran over its nuclear program.

Although nuclear talks continue, President Donald Trump has threatened military action if diplomacy fails to produce a new agreement on curbs that could prevent it obtaining nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, Iran has ramped up its military buildup, threatening U.S. targets in the region in the event of any attack.

What To Know

The U.S. Air Force has recently augmented its aerial refueling capabilities at Diego Garcia, deploying additional KC-135 Stratotankers to the strategic Indian Ocean base, according to satellite imagery shared by open-source intelligence analyst MT Anderson on X.

A recent deployment of F-15 fighter jets adds to a growing U.S. military buildup at Diego Garcia, where four B-52 bombers and a contingent of six B-2 stealth bombers operate. In March, satellite imagery showed the deployment of C-17 cargo planes as well as KC-135 refueling tankers.

The remote airbase, over 2,000 miles away from Iran, hosts Space Force operations and is a key port for U.S. Navy vessels, including nuclear submarines, and shelters a Sealift Command Prepositioning Ship Squadron.

Tehran has yet to unveil a platform capable of reaching that range, but as a significant missile power, it continues to make strides in expanding long-range capabilities.

The status of Diego Garcia has recently been in question and the subject of heated political debate with Britain signing an agreement last week to had sovereignty of the contested Chagos islands — of which it is a part — to Mauritius. Britain says that the agreement will ensure the future of the air and naval base and allow its contimued use by the United States.

What People Are Saying

Commander Matthew Comer, Indo-Pacific Command spokesperson, told Newsweek earlier: “We have multi-layered defense systems on Diego Garcia that ensure the security and protection of our personnel and equipment.”

What Happens Next

Beyond Iran, the continued U.S. buildup at Diego Garcia signals broader power projection with a potential view to threats in the Red Sea, activity by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen and China’s growing naval reach in the Indian Ocean.