As the Trump administration considers its next steps regarding Iran, one of the most sophisticated aircraft in the U.S. military inventory has been positioned nearer to Tehran.
Eleven F-22 Raptor stealth fighters have reached Israel’s Ovda Air Base in the southern part of the country, according to reports, representing the first operational deployment of American combat aircraft to Israel. This action takes place amid a larger U.S. military buildup in the region—unmatched in scale for years—and as concerns grow about Iran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities.
For U.S. decision-makers, the importance is clear: The F-22 alters the military dynamic.
Retired Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, former deputy chief of staff for operations at U.S. Air Force headquarters, said during a May 26 webinar hosted by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), “The F-22 is indeed the most air-to-air capable fighter in the world; nothing comes close to it in the air-to-air role.” He described its presence as “a very clear deterrent signal” that enables the United States to “negotiate with strength.”
Built to establish and maintain air superiority, the F-22 can operate in heavily defended airspace and suppress enemy air defenses. In any potential strike scenario against Iran, this capability would be vital. Before bombers or strike aircraft can reach fortified nuclear or missile targets, the skies must be cleared—and that is the F-22’s core mission, former generals explained during the webinar.
Guastella highlighted the practical meaning of forward positioning. “The advantage of the large force that’s there is that it can hold almost any target in Iran at risk … if that’s what the president wants to do,” he said.
Retired Lt. Gen. Charles Moore, former deputy commander of U.S. Cyber Command, said during the webinar that the deployment is about expanding rather than signaling a predetermined strike.
Moore said, “There is a lot of combat capability that’s been moved into the region … the more capability, the more assets we put, the more options that the President has. We don’t box him in.”
He added that this posture allows the United States “to be prepared for a long-term type of deployment and sustainment of combat capability if that’s what the President decides he wants us to do.”
On Friday, Trump indicated that diplomacy remains his preferred approach but did not rule out military force. Speaking to reporters as he left the White House for a trip to Texas, he said he was unhappy with Iran and wanted to make a deal with Tehran, but warned that “sometimes you have to” use military force. He also noted that Iran continues to refuse to renounce nuclear weapons as demanded by the United States.
The selection of Israel as the deployment location also matters. Unlike some Gulf bases—where operational restrictions may apply—Israel offers fewer political constraints, they explained. This gives U.S. planners extra freedom of action during a fast-moving crisis.
Jonathan Ruhe, JINSA’s fellow for American Strategy, said the move aligns with a JINSA recommendation to expand U.S. basing options in Israel—outlined in a report the organization published last fall.
The organization argued that forward basing in Israel would enhance U.S. flexibility and deterrence in the region. For months, JINSA has promoted the idea that Israel could serve as a land-based platform for American airpower in the .
Former Israeli Air Force commander Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amikam Norkin said deploying such high-end aircraft to the region is not routine and described the move as both operational and strategic. “It presents the American commitment to Israeli security once you are landing with your best airplane in Israel,” he said, adding that regional actors “understand the very strong commitment of the American government, American military, American President, to the national security of Israel.”
At the same time, he pushed back against the idea that the deployment represents a shift toward American “boots on the ground” in Israel.
Norkin said, “Well, it’s not the first time that America is on the ground. As you remember the 12-Day War, the American Air Defense System supported us. So it’s already been done.”
More broadly, he emphasized that Iran is not just an Israeli problem. “The , it’s not just an Israeli threat, it’s a regional threat, and the American forces support the region, not just Israel,” he said.
A source familiar with the meeting confirmed to that Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, briefed President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday about potential military options targeting Iran. Gen. Dan Caine, the president’s top military adviser and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, also attended the briefing.
For now, officials describe the move as rather than a prelude to immediate conflict. But the arrival of America’s premier air-dominance fighter in Israel signals a new phase in U.S.-Israel military coordination and sends a clear message to Tehran: If the president chooses to strike, the tools are already in place.