US deploys F-22 Raptors to Israel for first time amid fears of war with Iran

The combat aircraft, now operating from Israeli air bases, are intended to help defend Israeli territory and protect American forces in the region from potential Iranian retaliation.

“Operating aircraft from Israeli bases is a first,” Dennis Ross, a former senior US official, told the publication.

The move comes as Washington has already assembled a significant fleet of warships and aircraft across the Middle East amid growing expectations of a possible conflict with Tehran.

Why the US chose Israel

The deployment follows refusals by key regional partners — Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — to allow US forces to use their airspace or bases for military operations.

That decision has sharply narrowed America’s options for positioning aircraft needed for a large-scale mission.

Elliott Abrams, former US special envoy for Iran during the first Trump administration, said the move reflects both deepening US-Israel military cooperation and frustration with allies unwilling to host American assets.

“It is the product of two developments: the growing cooperation between the United States and Israel, and the refusal of so many countries to allow the US to use their bases,” Abrams said, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Jets tracked from UK to Israel

Israeli media reported that the F-22s were spotted taking off from RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom on February 24, citing open-source flight tracking data and aircraft spotters, before flying onward to Israel.

Israeli officials reportedly believe a US strike on Iran is increasingly likely, with senior military officials from both countries in close coordination.

An official quoted by Channel 12 News said a diplomatic resolution would be “the surprise of the year,” according to The Times of Israel.

Strategic shift after Abraham Accords

For decades, Washington deliberately limited its military footprint in Israel, wary that permanently stationing offensive aircraft could inflame regional tensions.

Israel was therefore placed under US European Command rather than Middle East command structures.

That approach changed following the Abraham Accords. In 2021, Israel was reassigned to US Central Command, removing long-standing operational barriers and enabling far closer military integration between the two allies.

Nuclear talks continue despite buildup

The military escalation comes even as diplomatic talks continue between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme.

US President Donald Trump, addressing a joint session of Congress, warned that Iran is developing long-range missiles capable of reaching the US.

“They’ve already developed missiles that can threaten Europe and our bases overseas, and they’re working to build missiles that will soon reach the United States of America,” Trump told the media, adding that while diplomacy remains his preference, Iran would never be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons.

Iran’s foreign ministry said negotiators from Iran and the US have exchanged “very constructive” proposals so far during the latest round of nuclear talks in Geneva, even as the risk of a wider conflict continues to loom.