Tel Aviv [Israel], February 25 (HBTV): At least a dozen F‑22 Raptor stealth fighter jets from the United States Air Force have landed at an Israeli Air Force base in southern Israel amid growing regional tensions, multiple reports said on Wednesday.
The advanced fifth-generation aircraft, regarded as among the world’s most capable combat jets, were seen departing from the Royal Air Force Lakenheath base in the United Kingdom before flying to Israel. They completed the long-range relocation with the support of aerial refuelling tankers, according to flight-tracking data and aviation analysts.
Israeli public broadcaster KAN and other outlets reported the F-22s touched down at an air base in southern Israel on Tuesday as part of a broader surge of US military assets in the Middle East. The deployment — involving approximately 12 jets — comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear programme and ongoing negotiations, with both sides planning high-level talks in Geneva.
Experts note that the deployment of F-22s on Israeli soil is unusual given that the US seldom positions its most advanced stealth fighters in foreign countries. Their presence is seen as a show of force and a signal of coordinated deterrence between the United States and Israel against possible escalation with Iran.
The move forms part of what analysts describe as one of the most significant US military buildups in the region in recent years, with a substantial number of aircraft and support assets now positioned near Iran and surrounding areas amid stalled diplomacy and rising geopolitical strain.
(ANI)