Twelve fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighter jets departed Ovda Airbase near Eilat on Friday morning, en route to the United States via RAF Fairford in the UK, according to American media reports. The departure marks the first withdrawal of US fighter jets from Israel since the joint Operation Roaring Lion in February 2026, Israeli journalist Nir Dvori (N12) reports.
Twelve US Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jets departed Ovda Airbase near Eilat on Friday morning, according to American media reports. The aircraft, which had been stationed in Israel since February, are expected to refuel at RAF Fairford in the UK before continuing to the United States.
The departure is the first known withdrawal of US fighter jets from Israel since the joint US-Israel Operation Roaring Lion, conducted in late February 2026. Israeli journalist Nir Dvori (N12) confirmed the departure, noting its significance as the first since that operation. Neither the American media reports nor Dvori provided a reason for the redeployment or details about the number of aircraft remaining in Israel.
Operation Roaring Lion was a large-scale joint operation involving US and Israeli forces. Its specific objectives and targets have not been disclosed in the available reports. The departure of the F-22s follows weeks of adjustments to US military assets in the region, including the relocation of refueling aircraft from Ben Gurion Airport to other bases, as previously reported by The Zioneer.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake