US F-35 fighters arrive in Middle East to deter Iran, assist mission in Syria

American F-35 fighter jets arrived in the Middle East to beef up deterrence against Iran amid a string of ship seizures in the Strait of Hormuz. 

The Air Force announced Wednesday that a squadron of U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs arrived in the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility, augmenting A-10s and F-16s that are already in the region patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.

The comes after multiple attempts by Iran earlier this month to seize oil tankers near the strait, prompting a response by the U.S. Navy.

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“The Iranian navy did make attempts to seize commercial tankers lawfully transiting international waters,” Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, spokesman for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, said in a statement at the time. “The U.S. Navy responded immediately and prevented those seizures.”

The move to send F-35s is designed to increase U.S. military visibility and give air cover to ships moving through the region, a defense official told The Associated Press in announcing the deployment, which the military hopes will deter future attempts at ship seizures by Iran.

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According to the Air Force press release, the F-35 will deliver “increased capacity” to the region and “allow the U.S. to fly in contested airspace across the theater if required.”

The fighters will also be available to help in Syria during ongoing operations against the Islamic State.

“This deployment demonstrates the U.S.’s commitment to ensure peace and security in the region, through maritime support and support to the coalition’s enduring mission to defeat ISIS in Syria,” the Air Force said.