US prepares Tinian Islands, as it recognises possibility of attack on Guam

Washington: Two weeks ago, the Chinese air force had threatened that their H-6 bombers could carry out major bombing operations on the Guam islands in the Pacific Ocean. As per the US media, the United States has taken the threat very seriously. The United States is readying the airbase on the Tinian Islands, used during the second world war, as an alternative and to retaliate against China, in case there is an attack on the Guam Islands. Media have claimed that the US defence ministry is planning to deploy fighter jets on this airbase and to conduct war exercises.

Guam is recognised as the strategically most crucial island, for the United States, in the Pacific Ocean. But China threatened a few months ago that it would destroy the strategically important Guam island. People’s Liberation Army, Air Force, infuriated with the visit of a senior US state department official to Taiwan, released a video. The video showed the Chinese H-6 bombers carrying out airstrikes on Anderson airbase on the Guam island and destroying it.

This is believed to be a threat issued by China to the United States. Immense tension had been created in the South China Sea after this. In this scenario, the United States has initiated moves to reactivate the airbase on the Tinian Islands, 200 kilometres to the northeast of Guam islands. Along with the airstrip used in the second world war, moves have been started to use the airstrip reserved for international aeroplanes, for fighter jets.

As per the US media, the defence ministry has suggested use of the Tinian Islands in case of an attack on the Guam islands or unavailability of the Guam islands due to a natural calamity. Cyclones have hit Guam islands in the past. Therefore, the US media have claimed that the choice of the Tinian Islands is the right one. The journalists also pointed out that a bunker safe from a nuclear attack also has been built on the Tinian Islands. US media claimed that the United States has dispatched a unit of F-15 Eagles to the Tinian Islands.

Meanwhile, the US defence department has not reacted to these reports published in the US media. But the tension in the region seems to have heightened, given the US activities regarding the Tinian Islands.