US bolsters military bases amid Iran tensions but flights resume

The US is continuing to deploy military reinforcements around Iran in response to a back-and-forth of threatening rhetoric between Tehran and Washington, despite airlines resuming flights to the MENA region, amid cutbacks due to regional tensions over the weekend.

The US Air Force issued a statement on Sunday saying it would begin drills in the Middle East to reinforce "peace through strength" and "to demonstrate the ability to deploy, disperse, and sustain combat airpower", Al Arabiya reported.

Multiple security outlets over the past few days tracked US fighter jets from the Royal Air Force station in Suffolk, England, landing in Jordan as part of a wider effort to reinforce the US military presence in the region.

On Friday, US President Donald Trump stated the deployment of a "massive force" to the Middle East, consisting of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier with multiple warships, was "just in case" he decided to take action.

The military buildup comes as inflammatory rhetoric persists between Tehran and Washington.

On Sunday, a billboard was unveiled in Tehran’s Enghelab Square, depicting a US aircraft carrier engulfed in flames, with fighter jets exploding on its deck. A crimson slick spreads across the water behind it, forming the stripes of an American flag.

During an interview with Fars News Agency on Sunday, Deputy Commander in Chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ahmad Vahidi, said: "The enemies have repeatedly been dealt blows and defeated in every conspiracy they have launched against our armed forces, and this will be the case in the future as well".

The conservative Iranian outlet, which is affiliated with the IRGC, published a video on Sunday showcasing the launch of Iranian missiles as a voiceover can be heard saying: "This will be Iran’s response to the American strategic mistake".

Despite this, more international airlines have resumed flights to the MENA region after suspensions last week due to the tensions.

Israel’s military Northern Command chief also said the country’s military was preparing for the possibility that US strikes on Iran could cause Iranian retaliation against Tel Aviv. 

Meanwhile in Iran, the nationwide internet outage has continued into its 18th day, according to digital watchdog Netblocks, which added that "gaps in the filter net are being tightened to limit circumvention".

Authorities are persisting in their arrest efforts across the country, with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence announcing the arrest of dozens of people in the provinces of Golestan, Gilan, Kerman, and Yazd.

The death toll from the crackdown on protests in Iran varies. The National Security Council said at least 3,117 people were killed, while Human rights groups, including Human Rights Activists News Agency, on the other hand, state the death toll stands at more than 5,000 people.