US moving fighter aircrafts to Middle East as Israel-Iran war rages

WASHINGTON: The US military is deploying more fighter aircrafts to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, bolstering US military forces in the region as the war between Israel and Iran rages, three US officials said.

One of the officials said the deployments include F-16, F-22 and F-35 fighter aircrafts.

Two of the officials stressed the defensive nature of the deployment of fighter aircrafts, which have been used to shoot down drones and projectiles.

Meanwhile, Iran’s state TV reported on Tuesday evening that Tehran has launched a new wave of attacks targeting Israel as fighting between the longtime foes raged for a fifth straight day.

“The tenth wave of Operation Honest Promise 3 against the occupied territories (Israel) has begun,” state TV said, with the Tasnim news agency reporting that the new barrage consisted of “drone and missile attacks” by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Air raid sirens sounded in the Tel Aviv area and parts of northern Israel around 3:00 PM GMT on Tuesday, the Israeli military said, after warning of a fresh salvo of incoming missiles fired from Iran.

“A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles launched from Iran toward the state of Israel,” a statement from the military said, with residents of the Tel Aviv area and parts of the north urged to seek shelter.

Want ‘real end’ to nuclear problem with Iran: Trump

Earlier, US President Donald Trump said he wanted a “real end” to the nuclear problem with Iran and indicated he may send senior American officials to meet with the Islamic Republic as the Israel-Iran air war raged for a fifth straight day.

He made the comments during his midnight departure from Canada, where he attended the Group of Seven nations summit on Monday, according to comments posted by a CBS News reporter on social media platform X.

Trump predicted that Israel would not be slowing its attacks on Iran. “You’re going to find out over the next two days. You’re going to find out. Nobody’s slowed up so far,” the CBS journalist quoted Trump as saying on Air Force One.

He said “I may”, on the prospect of sending U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff or Vice President JD Vance to meet with Iran.

Washington has said Trump was still aiming for a nuclear deal with Iran, even as the military confrontation unfolds.