The US Air Force has deployed 12 F-22 Raptor fighter jets to the Middle East as part of a broader buildup of US forces aimed at deterring or countering an expected Iranian strike against Israel.

The low-observable fifth-generation fighter jets were recorded arriving from their home station at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska, to Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath, England, on August 6, before being deployed to an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility.

The deployment of the U.S. Air Force’s premier air-to-air fighter comes days after the Pentagon announced on Aug. 2 that it would send an additional squadron of fighters to the Middle East as the Biden administration ramps up its military presence in the region. It came after the Islamic Republic of Iran threatened retaliatory action against Israel following the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran.

The F-22 is an air dominance platform with unparalleled air-to-air capabilities. For the air-to-air role, the aircraft's internal armament consists of six RTX Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) and two RTX Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, in addition to an internal M61A2 20mm Gatling gun with 480 rounds.

The Biden administration’s deployment of the F-22s to the theater of conflict is intended to send a strong signal to Iran because “they can operate with impunity in Iranian airspace without Iran knowing,” retired Gen. David Deptula told Bloomberg. “They can do not just air operations but they can also covertly conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and they have the ability to deliver bombs as well.”

The deployment of F-22s marks the first to the Middle East since June 2023, when the Lockheed Martin-built jets were sent in response to what officials said was more aggressive behavior by Russian aircraft. Earlier last year, an F-22 shot down a Chinese balloon off the coast of South Carolina that the United States said was being used for high-altitude surveillance.

The United States has ordered more troops near Israel amid fears that Iran will attack at any moment in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

The Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Israel had informed the Biden administration of the details of Haniyeh's assassination in Tehran.

Hamas on Tuesday appointed Yahya Sinwar, “the main mastermind behind the movement’s October 7 attack on Israel,” according to Bloomberg, as its new political leader, in a clear message of defiance from the movement, which said at the same time that it was continuing ceasefire negotiations under Sinwar’s leadership.

“This is the largest deployment of the F-22 since it entered service in late 2005,” Bloomberg quoted Rebecca Grant, an air power analyst at the Lexington Institute in Arlington, Virginia, as saying. “Deploying the F-22 means it’s a big deal and there’s a chance for large packages of forces operating in multiple locations and with allies.”

In addition to carrying out stealthy ground strikes against “Iranian militias or other targets, as needed,” Grant said, the aircraft’s data links allow it to coordinate with non-stealthy aircraft to conduct attacks or defensive maneuvers.