The US reinforced its military deployment in the Middle East this week by sending a group of fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighters to Israel, amid growing pressure on Iran.
The information was confirmed by an American official and a person familiar with the matter to the newspaper The New York Times. Iranian and American negotiators will hold a third round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva next Thursday (26), amid ultimatums from President Donald Trump.
Photos and videos shared by observers, verified by the Times, showed refueling tankers departing the United Kingdom with F-22s and flying over the Mediterranean on Tuesday afternoon. At least a dozen F-22 fighter jets have reportedly left the temporary base in the United Kingdom.
The deployment of advanced US Air Force fighters signals that the country is increasingly prepared for an imminent attack on Iran. The F-22 is a stealth aircraft capable of attacking targets in the air and on the ground. They were used during US attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities in June last year.
To date, the US maintains two aircraft carrier strike groups as well as more than 60 fighter jets stationed at a base in Jordan.