At Least 112 USAF C-17 Aircraft Headed To Middle East: 'Desert Storm Levels' by Tyler Durden Sunday, Feb 08, 2026 - 05:15 PM
An eye-opening and massive number of C-17 Globemaster military transport and cargo planes have been observed heading to Europe and the Middle East, in what some monitors have forewarned looks like the build-up to major war in Iran.
One regional watcher and pundit commented in response: "112 C-17s are in or on their way to the Middle East. Guys, that’s a lot. Like Desert Storm a lot. Stay tuned." C-17, via USAF/X
This as on Friday the prominent open source account Armchair Admiral and others used public flight tracking data to tally that the huge armada of US Air Force C-17s and counting are en route - a trend since mid-January.
"A total of 112 U.S. Air Force C-17's have now either arrived or are en route to the Middle East with a further 17-18 in-progress flights, a number of Royal Air Force logistics flights from RAF Marham to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, and movement on U.S. Air Force CORONETs," the source said.
C-17s are massive, and can deliver huge amounts of equipment or large numbers of troops in a single go. The US military lists some of the following key capabilities:
Payload capacity of over 170,000 pounds Ability to operate on short, austere runways as small as 3,500 feet Intercontinental range, with in-flight refueling extending reach even further Rapid load/unload design to keep missions moving under pressure
Iran and the US just concluded an initial round of indirect talks mediated by Oman, but despite some hopeful statements issued by either side, it is very clear Iran is not willing to negotiate its ballistic missile program - a sticking point being demanded by Washington. A second round is expected in the coming days, unless military action ensues first.
Iran's foreign minister has newly questioned whether Washington is taking these talks seriously, or if they are merely a pretext for more time to allow for a US force build-up in the region.
FM Abbas Araghchi asserted Tehran is not intimidated but that this raises "doubts about the other party's seriousness and readiness to engage in genuine negotiations." He added: "We are closely monitoring the situation, assessing all the signals, and will decide whether to continue the negotiations."
Prior to these weekend comments, the Iranian top diplomat stated, "If the United States launches an attack against us, we do not have the capability to attack its territory, so we would target American bases in the region. This would draw the entire region into war. We do not attack neighboring countries; we target American bases." Tell your story; Ask a question; Interpret generously http://storybythethroat.wordpress.com/tell-ask-listen/
IntelSky reports build-up in Armenia and Azerbaijan
IntelSky @Intel_Sky "The General" Reveals the Secret Behind the Delay: The Buildup is Complete for "Regime Toppling," Not Negotiation... And Trump's VP Opens the "Northern Front" from Armenia with 31 Aircraft. — Talal Nahle
(Monday - Feb 9 | 09:10 CET): Here is the precise reading of the current field situation:
First: NOTAM Status (Current)... "Semnan" Missiles Airborne Based on the current timing (Monday morning), Iran’s aerial map is ablaze, consistent with previous files: * NOTAM (A0470/26) – Active Now: * Status: Effective (from 02:30 UTC to 16:30 UTC). * Location: Central Iranian Desert (Semnan). * Event: Rocket Launches. Iran is executing its threats, launching missiles now as a "welcome" message for the US Vice President’s visit to the region. * The Eastern "Fire Wall" – Active Now: * Status: NOTAMs (B0090 to B0102) entered into force at 03:30 UTC. * The Field: The borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan are sealed with an artillery wall of fire to prevent any aerial infiltration from the rear.
Second: The Northern Front (J.D. Vance Visit)... Not a Diplomatic Mission * The Event: The arrival of the US Vice President in Armenia and Azerbaijan, accompanied by 31 flights (C-17 and C-32). * Military Analysis: * 31 aircraft for a Vice President? This is an "operational" figure, not a "protocol" one. A VP does not require a cargo fleet unless he is transporting Command Posts (CP) and Intelligence Units for permanent stationing. * The Objective: Washington is opening the "Northern Front." Forces in Armenia and Azerbaijan will serve as the "Hammer" striking northern Iran, while forces in the Gulf serve as the "Anvil." This visit is to finalize coordination with Baku and Yerevan to utilize their airspace or territory in the impending war.
Third: General Keane Exposes the Plan... "Collapse" is the Goal * Who is Jack Keane? He is "Trump’s military shadow." When he speaks, he conveys what is being discussed behind closed doors at the Pentagon. * The Critical Statement: "The delay is for perfect protection and regime collapse." * Field Translation: * Perfect Protection: Means the completed deployment of THAAD in Jordan (which we tracked yesterday). * Iran’s Collapse: Means the target bank is not limited to "nuclear" sites but includes "centers of power, the IRGC, and infrastructure." This explains the need for 1,000 Tomahawk missiles and the amassing of bombers in Diego Garcia.
Fourth: The 1,800 Missile "Joke"... Israeli Deception * The News: Maariv claims Iran possesses only 1,800 missiles and 60 launchers. * Analysis (Debunking the Ruse): * Reality: The Proxy (Hezbollah) possesses 150,000 missiles; how can the Originator/Manufacturer (the State) possess only 1,800? Iran possesses underground "Missile Cities" and thousands of mobile launchers. * The Goal of the Lie: Israel is attempting to "minimize the enemy" to reassure its terrified home front and to create a legal justification (Casus Belli): "When they exceed the number 2,000, we will strike." It is a desperate attempt to justify a preemptive strike under the pretext of "preventing accumulation," while the truth is that warehouses have been overflowing for years.
Fifth: Air Movements... "Refueling" for Battle * Tankers (BLUE) at Al Udeid: The arrival of refueling aircraft in Qatar (rather than Spain) means they will operate In-Theater. * The Mission: These aircraft are not there to fly the F-15Es home (this is a cover story); they will remain to refuel attack fighters over the Gulf. No one withdraws Strike Eagles one week before a potential war.
The Result: General Keane’s statement is the "password." The delay has ended because the buildup (Northern and Southern) is complete. Netanyahu’s visit tomorrow, Tuesday, will be to blow the whistle for the start of the "Regime Toppling" operation Keane spoke of, not to discuss the laughable missile count mentioned by MaarivTell your story; Ask a question; Interpret generously http://storybythethroat.wordpress.com/tell-ask-listen/
Be wary of IntelSky. Its AI ingests reports that are questionable, hence GIGO (nm)
I have gone through my usual confirmation processes, and I cannot find credible confirmation of ANY of the unique claims made in this post by "IntelSky".
And, just fyi, I had previously blocked that IntelSky account because I believe it is an engagement-farming account filled with a large measure of fictitious nonsense mixed with enough widely known info to make it all seem credible.
The IntelSky account is a notoriously unreliable source. For example, it claims F-22s were withdrawn from the Super Bowl to go the Middle East. No F-22s were ever scheduled for the Super Bowl. And there is ZERO evidence ANY F-22s have been deployed to the Middle East.
Ignore the (nm) above. There is a message body. (nm)
Thanks for he heads-up, Sash. The presentation on Intelsky is always pretty dramatic, hyping up the imminent possibility of escalation, so engagement-farming could be right. Found a couple of sources mentioning 20+ US military flights to Armenia & Azerbaijan, mainly heavy transports, citing the flightradar website:
tradecraft" and "synthesizing Sun Tzu, Clausewitz, CIA tradecraft, and Unrestricted Warfare for deep strategic foresight."
Cradle analyst Shivan Mahendrarajah's report was clearly the input for a part of one of IntelSky's sitreps.
However, in another sitrep, IntelSky claimed that there were 2 US carrier groups in the area which was false - so much for "combin[ing] open-source intelligence with live data for strategic analysis"!
The post linked below is a false and misleading report.
112+ C-17 sorties have taken place since mid-January.
Total tonnage delivered doesn't come even remotely close to Desert Storm, where 95% of all cargo was delivered via sealift.
For perspective, in summer 2025, 73 C-17 sorties were required to deliver one Patriot battalion from Asia to Israel.
The US can no longer execute huge sealift logistics, because it has negligible sealift capability. US airlift capacity can only transport a mere fraction of the cargo that could be transported via sealift.
Furthermore, the US capacity to sustain a major air campaign is severely limited by acute munitions shortages, and the inability to transfer maintenance capabilities to an overseas theater of battle.
Consequently, the US will not be able to sustain a major air campaign against Iran for more than about two weeks.
Worse yet, US has effectively ZERO credible defense against Iranian ballistic missiles. This was revealed during the 12-Day War, and if the US starts up another war against Iran, it will be decisively proven to everyone as Iranian ballistic missiles rain down on US bases and ships in the region.
In a war against Iran at this time, the US will incur shocking losses and suffer an irreversible strategic defeat.
(Two recent and relevant X articles are linked in the subsequent replies. Both are ~500 words / 3 minute reads.)
[quote tweet] Buzz Patterson @BuzzPatterson Feb 8 112 C-17s are in or on their way to the Middle East. Guys, that’s a lot. Like Desert Storm a lot. Stay tuned.
Will Schryver @imetatronink ‼️ US Heavy Airlift Is Woefully Inefficient
For those in awe of the reports of 100+ C-17 sorties carrying military cargo to the Middle East, this report underscores the acute limitations of US heavy airlift.
It Took 73 C-17 Loads To Move Patriot Battalion From Pacific To Middle East
Alarm bells grow louder in regard to major deficiencies in sustained U.S. military logistics support needed for a Pacific fight. twz.com Tell your story; Ask a question; Interpret generously http://storybythethroat.wordpress.com/tell-ask-listen/
The X article links aren't handled correctly by nitter:
Are routine flights elsewhere being cancelled?The last working-class hero in England. Clio the cat, ? July 1997 - 1 May 2016 Kira the cat, ? ? 2010 - 3 August 2018 Jasper the Ruffian cat ??? - 4 November 2021 Georgina the cat ???-4 December 2025
on February 9, 2026, 3:49 pm