According to reports published by Air & Space Forces Magazine, the United States has deployed an additional group of six fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter jets to the Middle East, further expanding its military footprint in the region amid escalating tensions.

The aircraft completed a transatlantic flight on Sunday with support from three KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling aircraft before making a stopover at RAF Lakenheath in the United Kingdom. The pause was reportedly part of preparations for their onward deployment to the Middle East.

This latest deployment follows a previous US move that saw a similar group of six F-35 fighter jets sent to the region. In addition, a US aircraft carrier operating in the Arabian Sea is currently hosting a squadron of 12 F-35C carrier-based fighter jets. Last Tuesday, one of these aircraft reportedly shot down an Iranian-made Shahed-139 unmanned aerial vehicle that was approaching the carrier.

Beyond the F-35C fleet, the aircraft carrier is also equipped with three squadrons of F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets, alongside electronic warfare platforms and airborne early warning aircraft, underscoring Washington’s emphasis on air superiority and surveillance.

According to published information, the US Air Force had earlier deployed substantial air assets to bases across the Middle East, including three squadrons of F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jets, one squadron of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, and one squadron of A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft.

The United States has also reinforced its regional posture by deploying air defense systems, including Patriot surface-to-air missile batteries and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense systems, reflecting a broader strategy aimed at deterrence and force protection.

The US aircraft carrier strike group led by the USS Abraham Lincoln continues to conduct carrier-based flight operations in the Arabian Sea. According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), the carrier is currently positioned approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles) off the Iranian coast. The strike group includes destroyers USS Spruance, USS Michael Murphy, and USS Frank Petersen, all equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of up to 1,600 kilometers.

As part of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, the USS Michael Murphy made a brief port call at Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman, United Arab Emirates, according to maritime tracking data from MarineTraffic. The destroyer reportedly remained in port for approximately 10 hours before returning to sea.

Meanwhile, on Monday, an Iranian unmanned aerial vehicle was observed flying over the Gulf of Oman. This marked the first reported Iranian drone flight over the region’s maritime domain since a Shahed-139 UAV approaching a US aircraft carrier was downed by an F-35C fighter jet.

In parallel, flight tracking data from aviation monitoring platform Flightradar24 showed that a US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft conducted flights over the Strait of Hormuz near Iranian territory on Monday. The aircraft departed from Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain and, during its multi-hour mission, patrolled the airspace linking the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

A day earlier, the same P-8A Poseidon aircraft carried out prolonged surveillance flights over international waters in the central Persian Gulf, stretching from northern Bahrain toward the United Arab Emirates.

The P-8A Poseidon aircraft is regularly deployed by the US military to monitor developments across the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman—strategic waterways that remain central to regional security dynamics. (ILKHA)