00:25The United States is moving
00:27some of its most advanced stealth fighters closer to Iran, and the message is unmistakable.
00:34On February 16, 2026, 18 F-35A Lightning II jets departed RAF Lakenheath in the United
00:44Kingdom, supported by a large formation of aerial refueling tankers from RAF Mildenhall.
00:51Their destination?
00:52The Middle East.
00:53This marks one of the largest single deployments of F-35s in recent months.
01:00The aircraft are expected to operate from key U.S. positions in the region, including bases
01:06in Jordan, Qatar, and other facilities under U.S. Central Command, and they are not alone.
01:12Earlier, roughly a dozen additional F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard's 158th
01:21fighter wing transited through Europe, stopping in Portugal, the U.K., and Spain, before heading
01:27toward the same theater.
01:29When combined with carrier-based F-35Cs already deployed aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln, estimates
01:37suggest nearly 30 F-35 variants could soon be operating within range of Iran.
01:43At sea, the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is currently positioned in the Arabian
01:51Sea within striking distance of Iranian territory.
01:54On board, F-35C stealth fighters, F-A-18 Super Hornets, E-A-18G Growlers, and a full complement
02:04of support aircraft.
02:06And reinforcements may be coming.
02:08The USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, is expected to
02:16join the region in the coming weeks, potentially doubling America's carrier strike capability.
02:22Beyond the stealth jets and carriers, the buildup includes F-15E Strike Eagles in Jordan, Patriot and
02:30THAAD missile defense systems, surveillance platforms like P-8A Poseidons and MQ-9 Reapers, C-17 cargo
02:40aircraft, and expanded ground-based air defenses at Al Udayd Air Base in Qatar.
02:46Officials describe the posture as preparation for weeks-long operations if necessary.
02:53The backdrop is the escalating 2026 United States-Iran crisis.
02:58At the center, Iran's nuclear program, ballistic missile development, and regional proxy activities.
03:05President Donald Trump has pushed for a new agreement stricter than the 2015 nuclear deal,
03:13demanding near-zero uranium enrichment, limits on missile capabilities, and a rollback of Iran's
03:19regional influence. Tehran has refused missile restrictions, calling them a red line for national
03:26defense, and insists sanctions must be lifted first. Indirect talks resumed earlier this month
03:33in Muscat, Oman, described as positive but preliminary. A second round is scheduled for February 18th in
03:41Geneva, with U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner representing Washington, and Foreign Minister
03:48Abbas Arakji leading Iran's delegation. Oman continues to mediate. Trump has said he will be involved
03:57indirectly, expressing belief Iran wants a deal, but warning that failure could bring very traumatic
04:03consequences. The build-up serves two purposes. First, deterrence, signaling overwhelming force
04:11should diplomacy collapse. Second, leverage, strengthening Washington's hand at the negotiating table.
04:19Iran, for its part, has responded with military drills in the Strait of Hormuz,
04:24and sharp warnings that further escalation risks open conflict. No shots have been fired. But with
04:31stealth fighters in motion, carriers in position, and negotiations entering a critical phase,
04:38the margin for miscalculation is narrowing. This weekend could shape the trajectory of the crisis.
04:45Will diplomacy prevail? Or will the build-up of tremendous power, as Trump describes it,
04:50become more than a signal. For now, the skies over the Middle East are filling, not with missiles,
04:57but with preparation. And the world is watching what happens next.
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