While the United States and Israel continued their air strikes on Iran, Cyprus became the focus of NATO deployments to the region.
Six F-16s and air defence systems were deployed to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on 9 March as part of a phased plan to enhance security in the region. The fighter jets based at Ercan Airport aim to help defend the northern part of the island from possible attacks by Iran, although they could also potentially be used for strikes against Iran, as well as for operations against paramilitary groups in Syria or Iraq.
At the same time, Greece deployed two F-16s to Andreas Papandreou airbase in Paphos on Cyprus to bolster air defences in the high-risk area, while the UK committed additional air resources to the island with four extra Typhoons, three Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters, and an RN Merlin Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control System (ASaC) helicopter.
Three USAF B-52Hs from Minot AFB, North Dakota, joined five B-1B Lancers at RAF Fairford in the UK on 9 March.
France deployed Dassault Rafale fighter jets to Al Dhafra Air Base near Abu Dhabi in the UAE to protect its military facilities from Iranian attacks after one of Iran’s drones struck a hangar at the base. On 9 March, a UAEAF AH-64D Apache crashed during anti-drone operations, killing the two crew.
Week two of Operation Epic Fury saw another USAF loss when, on 12 March, a USAF KC-135R Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq, resulting in the deaths of six crew members after a mid-air collision with another KC-135R, which managed to land at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. This was a vital airbase for the US since the 378th Expeditionary Wing was established there, with 22 KC-135s stationed at the base. By the end of the week, five USAF KC-135s at Prince Sultan Air Base were hit in Iranian missile strikes, causing minor damage, which the USAF stated would be quickly repaired and returned to service. No US personnel were killed or injured in the strikes.
During the week, Iranian air assets were being extensively destroyed on the ground. On 7 March, the USAF struck the IRIAF base at Tehran-Mehrabad International Airport, destroying one of its four Boeing 747s and several light transports. The IDF claimed to have destroyed its entire fleet of F-14 Tomcats at Isfahan Shahid Beheshti Airport. Three days later, a C-130 Hercules, an Il-76TT candidate, and one of IRIAF’s three P-3F Orions were destroyed at Kerman International Airport. Several IRIAF Northrop F-5E/F Tigers were hit by USAF and IDF strikes during the week on the 4th Tactical Air Base at Dezful-Vahdati.
On 13 March, the USAF conducted a bombing raid on Iran’s Kharg Island, claiming to have destroyed more than 90 military targets. The vital island in the northern Gulf is the terminal for nearly 90% of Iran’s oil exports. B-2A Spirits dropped 2,000lb PGMs on the island’s runway. Iran said the US had targeted air defences, a naval base, an airport control tower, and a helicopter hangar, but added there had been no damage to oil infrastructure.
At the same time, the IDF continued to bomb Iran and Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, but the vital Strait of Hormuz remained closed, blocking vital oil and gas supplies to countries around the globe.
by David Oliver
