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Akbar Novruz

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The United States has deployed two squadrons of fighter jets to Israel’s Ovda Airbase in the south of the country, according to Israel’s Channel 12.

The aircraft arrived at the base over the past day and joined other US fighter jets already stationed there, the Israeli network reported.

Israeli security officials cited by Channel 12 said the deployment was part of broader US military movements and repositioning across the Middle East rather than an indication of a new escalation with Iran.

The officials stressed that transferring the aircraft from another location to Israel did not represent a change in the level of US military readiness concerning Iran.

“The Americans are still ‘very far’ from the force buildup they had on the eve of the war in Iran,” a security official was quoted as saying.

The US military has been rotating fighter units across the Middle East in recent weeks, bringing fresh aircraft and personnel into the region while allowing units that have been deployed for extended periods to return to their home bases.

Ovda Airbase, located in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, has previously hosted US military aircraft.

Earlier in 2026, US F-22 Raptor stealth fighters were deployed to Ovda amid heightened military tensions with Iran. Those aircraft were subsequently withdrawn from the base in July.

The latest deployment comes as the US continues to reposition military assets throughout the Middle East to maintain operational readiness and flexibility.

However, Israeli security sources cited by Channel 12 emphasized that the current US military presence remains significantly below the force levels assembled ahead of previous major operations against Iran.

Neither the US Department of Defense nor Israeli authorities had publicly confirmed the deployment at the time of the report. The specific fighter squadrons involved and the types of aircraft deployed to Ovda were also not immediately disclosed.