US CENTCOM Confirms F-22 Raptors Land In Middle East For „Force Posturing” Against Iran
Update:
United States Central Command confirmed on X that an unspecified number of F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jets have arrived in its 'area of responsibility’—which includes over 4 million square miles and 21 countries in the Middle East, Central and South Asia, and Northeast Africa.
„U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 8 as part of U.S. force posture changes in the region to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or its proxies,” US CENTCOM said.
U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Aug. 8 as part of U.S. force posture changes in the region to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or its proxies. pic.twitter.com/BuuzbUHu9s
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) August 8, 2024
We reported earlier that as many as 12 F-22s arrived in the Middle East today (see the reporting below)…
Unconfirmed, but some X users that identified as „OSINT”—or open-source intelligence—pointed out some of stealth fighters landed at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Al udeid Air Base, Qatar https://t.co/qUFkVVVZfu
— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) August 8, 2024
* * *
Some geopolitical observers anticipate retaliation by Iran (or Iranian proxy groups), possibly including a direct assault on Israel. This suggests the Middle East is on the brink of a broader conflict that could escalate into a regional war.
In recent days, the Biden administration has been working through diplomatic channels, utilizing its Middle East allies to convince Tehran to reconsider its retaliation strike against Israel. They’ve warned Tehran that a massive missile and drone strike on Israel could spark regional conflict, Politico said, citing two senior US officials earlier this week.
Tehran may also be dissuaded by the US show of force this week, and secret White House communications passed via the Swiss embassy in Tehran and the Iranian mission at the United Nations, the report said.
“Iran understands clearly that the US is unwavering in its defense of our…
— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) August 7, 2024
While initial assessments had expected a retaliation strike earlier this week, Al Arabiya has reported any retaliation may now be postponed. However, we’ve noted…
- ’Do Not Fly’ Alert Over Iran Issued For Airlines During Oddly Specific Night Hours
In another development, Israeli journalist Hananya Naftali reported Wednesday, „Twelve American F-22 Raptors head to the Middle East, ready to counter any Iranian threat against Israel.”
BREAKING: Twelve American F-22 Raptors head to the Middle East, ready to counter any Iranian threat against Israel. pic.twitter.com/0cyaoTjvqG
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) August 7, 2024
On Tuesday, YouTube CobraEmergency filmed twelve F-22s that landed at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England.
Large crowds gathered at RAF Lakenheath today to watch as twelve F-22 Raptors arrived from Alaska. They have stopped while en route to the Middle East for a deployment among rising tensions in the region.
Video: https://t.co/6A0GbXg78q pic.twitter.com/wvxI3Aisuz
— CobraEmergency (@CobraEmergency) August 6, 2024
By Thursday morning, X users that identified as „OSINT”—or open-source intelligence—pointed out that these stealth fighter jets were headed towards the Middle East.
„It was previously believed that they would be Deployed to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, but this approach direction suggests that it may be an Airbase that’s further West, like Muwaffaq Salti in Jordan,” OSINTdefender wrote on X.
The Squadron of F-22 “Raptor” Stealth Fighters and their KC-46A Aerial-Refueling Tankers from Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska, are finally beginning to approach U.S. Central Command’s Area-of-Operations from the Eastern Mediterranean. It was previously believed that they would… pic.twitter.com/6Cs8858mWv
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 8, 2024
Meanwhile, the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier is positioned in the Gulf of Oman.
The US has more than 50,000 troops stationed across the Middle East.
Earlier this week, Jared Cohen, President of Global Affairs and Co-Head of the Goldman Sachs Global Institute, noted in a conversation with another colleague, „We don’t know the timing of a potential Iranian retaliation, and it’s impossible to predict the scale with certainty. But a direct Iranian-led assault against Israel looks increasingly likely, and Israelis and their partners are preparing.”
Tyler Durden
Thu, 08/08/2024 – 21:20
