US F-16s arrive in Middle East as Israel prepares for Iran strike
As Israel prepares to strike Iran, a batch of US air force reinforcements has landed in the region, the second this month.
WASHINGTON — US Central Command announced on Friday that F-16 fighter jets have arrived in the Middle East from Germany ahead of an impending Israeli strike on Iran.
“US Air Force F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron based at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany arrive in the US Central Command area of responsibility,” CENTCOM wrote on X Friday.
CENTCOM did not specify the exact Middle East base or bases the F-16s had reached. The nearest base to Israel is the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan's Azraq that has served as a main hub for US air force operations in the region.
Earlier this month, a squadron of US F-15s arrived at an undisclosed base, joining F-16s, advanced stealth F-22 Raptors and a number of US Navy ships already in the region.
The reinforcements have arrived as Israel prepares for its promised retaliatory attack in response to Iran’s Oct. 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel, which came after the Israeli military's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Abbas Nilforoushan.
Israel's plans were thrown off balance over the past week by a Hezbollah drone strike on Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea on Oct. 19 as well as a Pentagon leak that revealed alleged Israeli military preparations to attack Iran. The United States hopes, that despite the turbulence, Israel will keep its word on an informal agreement between the two nations in which Washington promised to reward Israel for not striking Iranian nuclear and oil facilities.
TOW missiles for Saudi Arabia
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said on Thursday that the US State Department has approved a potential $440 million sale of TOW missiles to Saudi Arabia.
"The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats by enhancing the strength of its homeland defense," the Pentagon’s statement read.
The Pentagon added that the sale "will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a partner country that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region."
