Summary and Key Points: The United States is bolstering its military presence in the Middle East by deploying F-22 Raptors, along with other fighter squadrons, amid escalating tensions with Iran and its allied militant groups.

-This move follows recent incidents, including the death of key leaders in Tehran and Lebanon, and a meeting in Iran with Hamas, Hezbollah, and other groups.

-The F-22 Raptors, known for their air superiority capabilities, will join existing forces to reinforce defensive air support and deter further escalation in the region.

F-22s Headed Back to the Middle East

The United States is beefing up its presence in the Middle East, and the Pentagon is now sending a squadron of Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors to the region in addition to guided-missile cruisers and destroyers. The build-up of U.S. forces comes as Iran has vowed revenge for the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh last week in Tehran – as well as the missile strike in Lebanon that killed a top Hezbollah official.

The U.S. Department of Defense's (DoD's) " multiple forthcoming force posture" also follows a meeting in the Iranian capital that included officials from Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad, and Yemeni-based Houthi militants. Tehran supports all of the groups, and the U.S. is now increasing its military presence to deter escalation in the region.

"The Secretary of Defense has reiterated that the United States will protect our personnel and interests in the region, including our ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel," the Pentagon said in a statement.

F-22 Raptors on the Way

The squadron of F-22 Raptors will join three combat aircraft squadrons already deployed to the Middle East, including an F-15E Strike Eagle an F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter squadron, and an A-10 Thunderbolt Close Air Support (CAS) squadron.

"The Secretary has also ordered the deployment of an additional fighter squadron to the Middle East, reinforcing our defensive air support capability," the DoD added.

According to a report from Air & Space Forces magazine, additional aerial refueling tanks are also being deployed to support the increased number of combat aircraft in the region.

The U.S. has yet to announce when the fifth-generation air superiority aircraft will arrive in the Middle East, or where they'll operate from. However, it marks the latest deployment of the advanced stealth fighters to the region, and it was in June 2023 that the Raptor was sent to the Middle East – at the time over escalating tensions between the U.S. and Russia, which each conduct air operations over Syria.

It is currently estimated that just around 100 of the Air Force's 183 operational F-22s are actually combat-ready at any given time. Though the Pentagon had originally sought to acquire 750 of the aircraft, the decision was made to scale back the order following the end of the Cold War.

Could the F-22 See Combat?

One of the most notable facts about the highly-touted F-22 Raptor is that it hasn't exactly been "combat-proven." It was only first employed in its secondary ground-attack role against targets in Syria in September 2014 during Operation Inherent Resolve, where it dropped 1,000-pound GPS-guided bombs on Islamic State targets. Over the next ten months, the Raptor went on to conduct 204 sorties in Syria, dropping 270 bombs.

It was only in February 2023 that the F-22 scored an air-to-air kill, when a Raptor from the 1st Fighter Wing, downed the alleged Chinese Spy balloon within visual range off the coast of South Carolina.

The presence of the F-22 back in the Middle East could deter Iran and the multiple militant groups it supports. But if that fails, the Raptor may finally bear its claws and remind the world that it was developed to be the world's premier air superiority fighter.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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