US Air Force stations F-22 Raptors in Israel for first time as Iran tensions escalate

The US Air Force moved a squadron of F-22 Raptor stealth fighters to Ovda Air Base in southern Israel in late February 2026, marking the first time American combat jets have ever been stationed on Israeli soil. The deployment, involving roughly 10 to 12 aircraft, was not a symbolic gesture. The F-22s flew strike missions against Iranian targets before being withdrawn in early July 2026. That withdrawal happened to coincide with a fresh wave of Iranian missile and drone attacks aimed at Israeli territory, which is either very bad timing or a deliberate signal, depending on who you ask. What happened at Ovda Ovda Air Base sits in the Negev desert, far enough south to limit collateral concerns but close enough to operational theaters in the broader Middle East to matter tactically. The base is known for hardened aircraft shelters, the kind of infrastructure that becomes relevant when adversaries start lobbing ballistic missiles in your direction. Those aircraft participated in coordinated US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian targets during the deployment window. The operational details of those strikes remain limited in open-source reporting, but the strategic intent was clear: demonstrat...