US F-22 fighter jets arrive in Middle East to suppress escalation, Lloyd tells Gallant
According to a statement from Austin's office, the deployment of these aircraft "symbolizes the extensive efforts to curb Iranian aggression.
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke with Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday night. During the conversation, Austin informed Gallant about the arrival of American F-22 fighter jets in the Middle East amid growing regional tensions.
I called Israeli Minister of Defense Gallant today to brief him on U.S. force posture adjustments and reinforce my ironclad support for Israel’s defense. The U.S. F-22 Raptors that arrived in the region today represent one of many efforts to deter aggression, defend Israel and…
— Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) August 8, 2024
According to a statement from Austin's office, the deployment of these aircraft "symbolizes the extensive efforts to curb Iranian aggression." Austin also emphasized to his Israeli counterpart the importance of achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, which would facilitate the release of hostages and allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians in the region.**
This conversation between Austin and Gallant takes place against the backdrop of Israel's heightened state of alert, anticipating a possible attack from Iran and Hezbollah.
This follows the recent assassinations of Hamas Political Bureau Chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran—reportedly carried out by Israeli Mossad agents—and Hezbollah Chief of Staff Fuad Shukr in Beirut, for which Israel has claimed responsibility.
In a speech last Tuesday, marking a week since Shukr’s assassination, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah accused Israel of trying to destabilize Lebanon, citing Israeli Air Force sorties over Beirut before his speech.
"The residents of Israel should prepare for all scenarios," Nasrallah warned. He claimed that Israel fears Iran's response to Haniyeh’s assassination and is reaching out to the United States and Western countries because it cannot defend itself alone. Nasrallah also stated that the delay in responding to Shukr’s assassination is part of Israel’s punishment.
Who will strike first?
Amid this high alert for potential retaliation by Iran and Hezbollah, the US is concerned that Israel might launch a preemptive strike to thwart such actions. Washington seeks to be informed in advance if Israel decides to take this step.
Security officials have confirmed that over the past week, the US has intensified coordination talks, situation assessments, and intelligence sharing with Israel concerning developments in the Middle East. According to defense officials, this increased level of coordination is reflected, among other things, in daily conversations between Gallant and Austin.**
Security sources have clarified that the Americans are showing a strong commitment to Israel’s security and continuously stress the importance of the special relationship between the two countries. However, these sources note that the US also wants to know if Israel intends to "break the rules" by launching a preemptive strike to prevent widespread attacks on its home front.
"If concrete information arrives about broad plans to attack the Israeli home front, and it is a feasible operation, the IDF will not stand idly by—it will strike," the sources said, adding, "This is the policy that the Defense Minister has made clear to the IDF and the Air Force."
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