American warplanes are now parked on Israeli soil in a way they never have been before. The United States has quietly deployed F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to Israel, the first time Washington has positioned combat jets there, for a potential operation against Iran, reports the Wall Street Journal. The move, not formally announced by the Trump administration but visible in footage seen on social media, is meant to shield both Israeli territory and US forces from possible Iranian retaliation if Trump orders strikes on Tehran's nuclear and missile infrastructure—and to give Washington an additional option for offensive missions.
One retired Air Force veteran calls the F-22 move, which a US official also confirmed to the AP, a significant one. "It indicates preparation for a more aggressive stance toward Iran and potential cooperation with Israel in an attack," Lt. Gen. David Deptula tells the New York Times. "It signals that the US is serious about attacking if Iran does not agree to US terms." The move also reflects a sharp turn in US posture since the 2020 Abraham Accords, which brought Israel closer to several Arab states and moved it under US Central Command's umbrella.
With Saudi Arabia and the UAE refusing to host or provide airspace for a US attack on Iran, Israel's air bases give Washington new room to disperse its aircraft across the region. Former officials say the deployment underscores deepening US-Israel military cooperation. One analyst adds that if you're parking "very high value" assets like F-22s, as the United States is now doing, having Israel's layered air- and missile-defense network shielding them is a strong draw.
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