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. 

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. 

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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. 

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."

On Tuesday, YouTube CobraEmergency filmed twelve F-22s that landed at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, England. 

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. 

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."