The United States is significantly increasing its military presence in the Middle East. A squadron of F-22 fighters has been added to the U.S. Air Force’s existing three combat aircraft squadrons in the region. These squadrons already include F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons, along with A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes. Additionally, the USS Lincoln carrier strike group is replacing the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Gulf of Oman, accompanied by extra warships.
This buildup is driven by concerns that Iran and its proxies—Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis—might launch a major attack on Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. U.S. aircraft are stationed at several bases in the Middle East, including Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia and Al-Dhafra Air Base in the UAE, as well as Ali Al Salem Air Base and Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait, and Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which is the largest U.S. airbase in the region.
Earlier this year, following an Israeli strike on a consular building near the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, Iran launched an extensive missile and drone attack on Israel, deploying over three hundred drones and missiles. These threats were largely thwarted by Israeli air defenses and U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, which alone intercepted over 70 Iranian drones.
In the event of a large-scale Iranian attack, the U.S. Air Force is expected to play a significant defensive role once again. The F-22 Raptor, considered one of the most advanced fighter jets ever created, has the lowest radar cross-section of any aircraft, making it nearly invisible to enemy radars. The deployment of F-22s sends a clear message to Iran about the consequences of any aggressive actions.
Additionally, the recent deployment of two B-52H bombers, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, serves as a warning to Tehran. These bombers, part of Bomber Task Force (BTF) 24-4, visited Romania. The B-52 Stratofortresses from the 2nd Bombardment Wing of Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana landed at the 57th Mikhail Kogălniceanu Air Base near the port city of Constanta. This base has been used by the U.S. Air Force since 1999 and is set to undergo a large-scale expansion in 2024 to become the largest NATO outpost on the eastern flank. To demonstrate global capability, one of the bombers was back in the air just days after landing in Romania, flying non-stop from Europe through the Middle East back to its base in the U.S. The thirty-two-hour flight on July 25-26 occurred as U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria came under attack. The bomber’s route included flying over Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the Persian Gulf before returning to Barksdale AFB.
In February, two B-1B Lancer bombers from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas conducted strikes as part of air operations in Iraq and Syria against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force and affiliated militia groups. U.S. military forces targeted more than 85 sites, employing numerous aircraft, including long-range bombers flown from the United States. B-1 crews regularly conduct long-duration missions from continental U.S. bases as part of strategic Bomber Task Force missions carried out by Air Force Global Strike Command worldwide.