Ten US Air Force F-22 Raptors have arrived at RAF Fairford in the UK from Ovda Air Base in Israel. The jets, from the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, had been deployed to Ovda since late February to take part in attacks on Iran.
The move is part of a larger retrograde of airpower out of the CENTCOM region, with tensions spiking in the Middle East. The F-22s executed precision missions against Iranian air defenses, nuclear-related infrastructure, and command nodes linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The US and Iran have ramped up attacks on each other, with Iran striking targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. Despite the resurgence in hostilities, there are indications of a push to rekindle peace negotiations, with Qatari negotiators traveling to Iran to meet with officials.
