Twelve U.S. F-22 fighter jets, among the only two fifth-generation fighter aircraft operated by the United States, have landed in Israel in an especially unusual deployment.
Each F-22 costs more than $200 million. The aircraft arrived in Israel as a single squadron as part of a buildup of U.S. forces ahead of the possibility of a strike on Iran.
US deploys F-22 stealth jets to Israel in rare show of force, coordination
The F-22s are intended to integrate into U.S. Air Force strike missions in Iran and to preserve the achievements of the 12-day war, should President Donald Trump give the green light for an attack.
The decision to publicize the arrival of the aircraft two days before talks scheduled to take place in Geneva was not coincidental. Beyond operational considerations, their deployment to Israel is also intended to create a deterrent effect — an attempt to pressure Iran into negotiations.
Although the United States maintains bases throughout the Middle East, the decision to send the aircraft to Israel conveys a message that Washington and Jerusalem are coordinated and could act together.
The F-22 is one of two fifth-generation fighter jets in U.S. service, alongside the F-35, which also serves in the Air Force. The very landing of American fighter jets in Israel is rare, and the arrival of advanced stealth aircraft of this kind is particularly unusual.
The F-22, whose first flight took place in 1990, is primarily an air superiority fighter. It is also used for ground strikes, electronic warfare and intelligence missions. Unlike the F-35, the F-22 has not been sold to foreign militaries because of a prohibition set in U.S. law.
The aircraft’s first operational mission was in 2014, when it bombed an Islamic State compound. Its first shootdown came in 2023, when it downed a Chinese surveillance balloon over the Atlantic Ocean. It has not shot down a manned aircraft.
Two years ago, when F-22s arrived in the region as part of preparations for a possible Iranian response, the Pentagon said the stealth aircraft could also assist in defensive missions, describing them as a valuable defensive platform that adds maneuverability and systems providing commanders with a broader range of options.
The F-22s in Israel join the extensive U.S. forces already deployed in the region. According to the Institute for National Security Studies, more than 200 U.S. fighter jets are currently in the Middle East, and more than 300 when aircraft in Europe are included. These include 36 F-15s, at least 48 F-35 stealth fighters and 36 F-16s.
In addition to the fighter jets, U.S. forces in the region include more than 100 refueling, command and control, intelligence and transport aircraft. Two U.S. carrier strike groups are also operating in the area — the USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived weeks ago, and the USS Gerald R. Ford, which is in the Mediterranean Sea and continuing to move eastward after being spotted near Crete — along with 12 destroyers.