The United States has deployed its F-22 raptor, stealth fighter jets to Qatar for the first time adding to a buildup of U.S. military forces in the Gulf amid tensions with Iran.
U.S. Central Military Command in a statement on June 28 announced that the Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters have been deployed to Qatar “to defend American forces and interests without giving more details on how many fighters had been sent.
The deployment to the Gulf comes amid escalating standoff between Tehran and Washington following U.S. re-imposing sanctions on the Islamic republic.
Tensions escalated further last week but one when Iran shot down a U.S. drone claiming it had encroached on its waters. Tehran however denied involved.
Last week, the arch-foes have been locked in a war of words, which escalated when U.S. President Donald Trump announced new sanctions against Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
Iran has threatened to abandon some of its commitments under the nuclear deal unless the remaining partners – Germany, China, France, United Kingdom and Russia help Tehran get out of U.S. sanctions and subsequently sell its oil.
In May, the U.S. Air Force deployed several nuclear-capable B-52 Stratofortress bombers to the Gulf.
