Preparing for the Worst: US Surges Fighter Jets to Jordan as Cyprus Signals 'Highest Preparedness' Amid Iran Crisis
A sweeping US military buildup across the Middle East, combined with intensifying diplomatic activity along a Nicosia–Washington–Tel Aviv axis, is painting a picture of a region bracing for a potential confrontation with Iran, according to multiple sources and satellite intelligence reviewed by international media.
US Triples Fighter Jet Presence at Jordanian Airbase
The United States military has moved dozens of advanced fighter jets to the Muwaffaq Salti air force base in central Jordan, according to satellite imagery and flight tracking data analysed by the New York Times. As reported by the Jerusalem Post, more than 60 jets were pictured parked on the base — three times the usual number of US attack aircraft stationed there.
A live tracking map maintained by the Institute for National Security Studies, a Tel Aviv University-affiliated think tank, indicated that as of Saturday afternoon, 30 F-35 stealth fighters and 36 F-15 fighter jets were positioned at the base. At least 68 cargo planes have landed at Muwaffaq Salti since Sunday alone, the Times reported, with several US drones and helicopters also observed in the surrounding area. Soldiers were additionally spotted installing new air defense systems — measures believed to be aimed at protecting the base from potential Iranian strikes.
Jordanian officials, speaking to the Times on the condition of anonymity, described the deployment as part of a broader defense agreement with Washington, while expressing hope that ongoing US–Iran negotiations would yield a diplomatic outcome and prevent war.
The buildup at Muwaffaq Salti is not isolated. According to an additional Times report, US troops across the Middle East have been reshuffled in recent days, with personnel from the Al Udeid base in Qatar and installations in Bahrain redeployed for unspecified missions and operations, citing US military officials.
Cyprus Enters the Frame: 'Our Preparedness Is at the Highest Point'
Parallel to the Jordanian developments, unverified but consistent information emerging from Cyprus suggests that the island-nation — home to the UK's Sovereign Base Areas and strategically positioned at the eastern Mediterranean crossroads — is deeply embedded in the unfolding crisis preparations.
Multiple sources indicate that high-level diplomatic and military traffic has intensified over the past several days, primarily along the Nicosia–Washington–Tel Aviv corridor, with contacts also extending to Arab capitals.
A Cypriot source, speaking to The Levant Files on the condition of anonymity, offered a stark assessment: "Our preparedness level now is at the highest point. In close collaboration with our allies, we are closely monitoring the situation and starting to prepare for the worst scenario. But at the end of the day, our hope is that diplomacy and calm will prevail, with the parties finding a diplomatic solution for the Iranian crisis."
When asked whether there had been any tangible progress on reported "special agreements" between Cyprus and Israel in the event of a regional war, a second source declined to confirm or deny any developments. "I cannot confirm or deny that there is development on this front," the source said. "But I must stress that we are in open talks — constant dialogue — with all regional capitals, including Tel Aviv."
Tehran's Provocations Add to the Tension
The military posturing has not gone unnoticed in Tehran. Earlier, Mojtaba Zarei — a pro-regime Iranian MP and member of Iran's Foreign Policy Commission — publicly urged Jordanian forces to seize the Muwaffaq Salti base. In a post on X/Twitter, Zarei claimed the base had been used "in protecting Tel Aviv and the Zionist cannibals" during the 12-day war in June, when US and Israeli forces struck much of Iran's nuclear weapon manufacturing infrastructure.
"Prepare yourselves to seize it and take American soldiers captive," Zarei wrote, describing the installation as "the most important American base in the world-devouring empire and a partner of Israel."
A Region on Edge
Taken together, the convergence of a major US force projection in Jordan, the repositioning of troops across Gulf bases, and the heightened state of alert in Cyprus suggest that Western and allied capitals are preparing for multiple contingencies in what has become the most acute phase of the Iranian crisis in recent memory. Whether these preparations serve as deterrence or prelude remains to be seen — but across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, the message is unmistakable: the region is on a war footing, even as all sides publicly insist that the door to diplomacy remains open.