Humanitarian Airlift and Geopolitical Crossroads: The US Air Force Landing at Jaffna International Airport and Its Implications for Sri Lanka’s Tamils and Regional Power Dynamics A Comprehensive Analysis of the December 2025 US Humanitarian Operation in Northern Sri Lanka, Stakeholder Responses, and the Future of Tamil Engagement with International Actors Introduction In December 2025, the United States Air Force executed a high-profile humanitarian airlift to Jaffna International Airport in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, delivering critical aid to communities devastated by Cyclone Ditwah. This operation, unprecedented in its visibility and scale for the region, has reverberated far beyond immediate disaster relief. It has triggered a complex interplay of local gratitude, Tamil aspirations, Indian strategic anxieties, and broader questions about the evolving geopolitical landscape of the Indian Ocean. This report provides a comprehensive, evidence-based analysis of the fa...