Wednesday, February 18, 2026

US sends over 50 fighter jets to Middle East in military buildup against Iran - report - Amichai Stein, Jerusalem Post Staff

 

by Amichai Stein, Jerusalem Post Staff

The American military buildup comes amid indirect negotiations with Iranian officials, in which "progress was made" on Tuesday in Geneva, a US official told The Post.

 

An F-35 pilot prepares for take off from the Vermont Air National Guard Base with the flag of the United States, in South Burlington, Vermont, US, May 22, 2020
An F-35 pilot prepares for take off from the Vermont Air National Guard Base with the flag of the United States, in South Burlington, Vermont, US, May 22, 2020
(photo credit: US AIR NATIONAL GUARD/MISS JULIE M. SHEA/HANDOUT VIA REUTERS)

The United States military has moved over 50 fighter jets to the Middle East in the last 24 hours as part of its buildup of air and naval assets near Iran, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a US official.

A host of F-16, F-22, and F-35 jets were observed heading to the Middle East by independent flight trackers.

The American military buildup comes amid indirect negotiations with Iranian officials, focusing on Iran's nuclear program. 

US official: Iran to send detailed nuclear proposal in next two weeks

A US official told The Jerusalem Post that progress was made in talks held in Geneva earlier on Tuesday, stressing that many details "still need to be discussed."

The official said Iran relayed that it would make detailed proposals in the next two weeks to close gaps with the US. "The Iranians said they would come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions," the official told the Post.

"There were good meetings, but the gaps are still wide. There's still a lot of work to be done to reach an agreement."

The top deck of US Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, with fighter jets, December 1, 2025; illustrative.
The top deck of US Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, with fighter jets, December 1, 2025; illustrative. (credit: Seaman Abigail Reyes/US Navy/Handout via REUTERS)

US sends massive aircraft carriers to Middle East

Last week, American media outlets reported that the US will send its largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to bolster its forces in the Middle East ahead of an anticipated clash with Iranian forces.

The USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships had previously been deployed in the Caribbean and, according to four anonymous US officials, were informed of their new destination on Thursday. 

The USS Abraham Lincoln, as well as other notable air and naval assets, were already deployed to the area in January. 

Reuters contributed to this report. 


Amichai Stein, Jerusalem Post Staff

Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-886998

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