The United States has deployed an additional eighteen fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter jets to the Middle East to strengthen its aerial capabilities in the region on February 16.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports, citing foreign media outlets, that the American fighter jets took off from the Lakenheath Royal Air Force Base in the United Kingdom.
The long-range flight to the Middle East was supported by KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft. This deployment represents one of the largest simultaneous transfers of American combat aircraft to the region, signaling a significant escalation of U.S. military potential in the Middle East amid growing tensions with Iran. The newly arrived jets join 12 F-35A fighters previously stationed at the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan earlier this February.
With the addition of these aircraft, the U.S. military presence in the Middle East now includes 30 F-35A fighters, two squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle fighters (24 aircraft), and one squadron of A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft (12 aircraft). The total number of U.S. combat aircraft at regional bases has reached approximately 66. Furthermore, the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, currently positioned in the Arabian Sea near Iran, carries a squadron of F-35C Lightning II fighters and three squadrons of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, with approximately 12 aircraft per squadron.
This strategic buildup follows the recent inauguration of US President Donald Trump in January 2025, reflecting a continued focus on maintaining regional stability and deterrence. The F-35A Lightning II is considered the world's most advanced multi-role fighter, equipped with stealth technology, advanced sensors, and communication systems designed to operate in contested environments. Such deployments are typically intended to reassure regional allies and provide the Pentagon with flexible strike options in response to evolving security threats in the Persian Gulf and surrounding areas.
