As the Trump administration considers its next move against Iran, one of the most advanced aircraft in the US arsenal has moved closer to Tehran.
For American decision makers, the meaning is simple: the F-22 changes the military equation.
“The F-22 is indeed the most air-to-air capable fighter in the world; nothing comes close in the air-to-air role,” said retired Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, former deputy chief of staff for operations at U.S. Air Force Headquarters. During a May 26 webinar hosted by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), he described his presence as “a very clear deterrent signal” that allows the United States to “negotiate vigorously.”
An F-22 Raptor flies in this undated image from Lockheed Martin. (Lockheed Martin via Getty Images)
Designed to establish and maintain air superiority, the F-22 can operate in heavily defended airspace and suppress enemy air defenses. In any potential attack scenario against Iran, that capability would be critical. Before bombers or attack planes can reach hard nuclear or missile targets, someone has to clear the sky. That is the core mission of the F-22, former generals explained in the webinar.
Guastella underlined what forward positioning means in practical terms. “The advantage of having such a large force is that it can hold virtually 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 in the webinar that the deployment is about expanding presidential options rather than signaling a predetermined attack.
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Two U.S. F-22 Raptor fighters fly over European airspace during a flight to Britain from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania, April 25, 2016. (Reuters)
“A lot of combat capability has been moved into the region … the more capability, the more resources we deploy, the more options the president has. We’re not hemming him in,” Moore said.
He added that this posture allows the United States to be “prepared for a long-term deployment and sustainment of combat capability if that is what the president decides he wants us to do.”
Trump said on Friday that diplomacy remains his preference, but did not rule out violence. Speaking to reporters as he left the White House for a trip to Texas, he said he was not happy with Iran and wants to make a deal with Tehran, but warned that “sometimes” you have to use military force. He added that Iran is still unwilling to renounce nuclear weapons as requested by the United States.
The choice of Israel as a deployment location is also important. Unlike some bases in the Gulf, where operational restrictions may apply, Israel offers fewer political restrictions, they explained. This gives American planners extra freedom of action in a rapidly developing crisis.
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A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet climbs after taking off from the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Base in Puerto Rico, Jan. 4, 2026. (Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters)
JINSA’s U.S. Strategy colleague Jonathan Ruhe said the move follows a JINSA recommendation to expand U.S. basing capabilities in Israel, as outlined in a report the organization published last fall.
That report argued that a forward base in Israel would increase U.S. flexibility and deterrence in the region. The organization has for months promoted the idea that Israel could function as a land platform for U.S. air power in the Middle East.
Former Israeli Air Force commander Major General (ret.) Amikam Norkin said deploying such high-end aircraft in the region is not routine, calling the move both operational and strategic. “It presents the American commitment to Israeli security as soon as you land your best plane in Israel,” he said, adding that regional actors “understand the very strong commitment of the American government, the American military and the American president to Israel’s national security.”
At the same time, he rejected the idea that the deployment would represent a shift toward American “boots on the ground” in Israel.
“Well, it’s not the first time America has been on the ground. As you remember the Twelve Day War, the American air defense system was backing us up. So it’s already happened,” Norkin said.
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More generally, he emphasized that Iran is not exclusively an Israeli problem. “The Iranian threat is not just an Israeli threat, it is a regional threat, and U.S. forces support the region, not just Israel.”
For now, officials are describing the move as part of preparedness and not a prelude to immediate conflict. But the arrival of America’s premier air dominance fighter on Israeli soil heralds a new phase in US-Israeli military coordination and a clear message to Tehran: if the president chooses to strike, the tools are already in place.
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