Amerikanets 📉 @ripplebrain
24 Mar 2026 · 2:59 AM UTC #1
https://nitter.net/ripplebrain/status/2036276774984683621

Another very interesting piece from the WSJ. These details have been available
through OSINT sources but it's a good roundup showing how key Europe is to US
operations against Iran:
- The central command center for US operations against Iran is within Ramstein
Air Base in Germany (unsurprising)

- US drone operations are conducted from there as well

- American aircraft stationed in Spain have been relocated to France and Germany
after the Spanish government denied the use of the Morón and Rota air bases
for attacks on Iran

- Bomber aircraft sortie out of bases in the UK like RAF Fairford

- Refueling operations are based out of Aviano Air Base in Italy and Tubé Air
Base in France

- Lajes Air Base in the Azores (Portugal) is serving as a major logistical hub,
with dozens of aircraft stationed there at various times during the conflict

- RC-135 Rivet Joint spy planes are operating out of Souda Bay in Crete

- Unspecified "logistics and intelligence assets" are being hosted by Romania

The piece paints an amusing picture of European attitudes towards this. Keir
Starmer's justification for overcoming his reticence to allow the US to base out
of British facilities in the initial wave of strikes is that bomber operations
are now "defensive" in nature. Merz has said publicly that this "isn't
[Germany's] war," but he has no choice but to allow US operations out of German
air bases due to pre-existing legal agreements. Meloni has spun Italian
involvement as minor because only refueling missions are flown out of
Aviano. Similarly, French defense minister Vautrin said, "a refueling aircraft
is a gas station, not a fighter jet."

These technicalities may work on the European public, but it's difficult to
imagine they'll work on the Iranians.



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| (Quoted in @ripplebrain #1)
Policy Tensor @policytensor
23 Mar 2026 · 8:42 PM UTC

US forces have been pushed out of the region and have been operating largely
from Europe.

"In recent weeks, U.S. bombers, drones and ships have been fueled, armed and
launched via bases in the U.K., Germany, Portugal, Italy, France and Greece,
officials say."

This is really, really bad news for the all-important interdiction war because
operating from this far means a much lower sortie rate, and therefore
interdiction rate.

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/europe-is-quietly-playing-a-crucial-role-in-the-iran-war-aad34a00

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| (Replying to #1)
viscaelpaviscaelvi @viscaelpa
24 Mar 2026 · 3:23 AM UTC #2

If this picture is correct, then the US operations have been essentially pushed
out of its Middle East bases. Nothing is flying from the region. Correct?

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| (Replying to @viscaelpa #2)
Amerikanets 📉 @ripplebrain
24 Mar 2026 · 3:24 AM UTC

No, they're still sortieing out of bases in Saudi Arabia (though this is
becoming increasingly precarious), Jordan, and Israel