US deploys F-22 fighter jets to Israel - report

The United States sent a group of F-22 Raptor jets to Israel on Tuesday, Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported.

The move continued the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East and came two days before the next round of negotiations with Iran about its nuclear program was expected.

“Twelve US F-22 fighter jets landed this afternoon at one of the Israeli Air Force bases in the south of the country, as part of the American deployment in the Middle East,” the report reads.

It added that the aircraft are among the most advanced fighter jets in the world, possessed only by the U.S., and are tasked, among other missions, with “penetrating enemy territory and disabling air defense systems and radar installations.”

The U.S. has increased its military presence in the Persian Gulf region amid threats by U.S. President Donald Trump of military action against Tehran if current nuclear negotiations fail.