10 U.S. F-22 Raptors redeploy from Israel to UK after over 200 combat sorties against Iran

Ten U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors arrived at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom on Friday morning local time, departing from Ovda Air Base in Israel. The jets, assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, had been deployed to Ovda since late February to participate in attacks on Iran. The movement is part of a broader retrograde of U.S. airpower in recent weeks, coinciding with heightened tensions in the Middle East.

Recent U.S. Air Force Movements

This deployment is the latest in a series of similar operations. On July 1, U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers departed from Fairford, where they had been forward deployed for Exercise Epic Fury. Other tactical jets have also returned home, with some being replaced and others not. RAF Fairford serves as a major hub for transatlantic U.S. military aircraft movements.

Arrival and Tracking

Local aviation spotters reported that the jets arrived at Fairford in three waves. An aviation photographer using the handle @Saint1Mil on X shared three images of the arrival, including the main image above. Online open-source flight trackers monitored the jets' flight path and their aerial refueling tanker support.

Combat Operations During Epic Fury

According to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), during Epic Fury, "Raptors executed precision missions against Iranian air defenses, nuclear-related infrastructure and command nodes linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)."

CENTCOM detailed the operations:

• March 1: F-22s opened the campaign by suppressing S-300 and Bavar-373 batteries, clearing corridors for follow-on coalition strike aircraft entering defended airspace.
• March 1–9: The stealth fighters flew more than 200 combat sorties while remaining undetected by Iranian radar networks throughout the operation.
• The F-22 Raptor used its low-observable design and advanced sensors to penetrate defended airspace and deliver precision weapons against strategic Iranian regime facilities.

Targets and Munitions

Targets included "infrastructure connected to the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant and Natanz Nuclear Facility," CENTCOM noted. The Raptors employed:

• GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs
• GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions

These weapons were carried internally, preserving stealth while striking multiple hardened targets with precision guidance.

Coordinated Strike Packages

The aircraft "also coordinated with B-2 Spirit bombers and EA-18G Growler electronic attack jets in layered strike packages designed to overwhelm Iran's integrated air defenses," according to CENTCOM. U.S. officials stated that despite Iranian forces launching dozens of surface-to-air missiles during the nine-day campaign, none successfully tracked or locked onto the stealth fighters.

Escalation and Diplomatic Efforts

The Raptors' arrival at Fairford from Ovda came as the U.S. and Iran escalated attacks on each other this week. Iran also struck targets in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan during a flare-up sparked by the IRGC's attacks on three tanker ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

As previously reported, this latest round of fighting began on Tuesday when Iran attacked three ships in the Strait of Hormuz. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump and Iranian officials declared that the shaky ceasefire agreed to on April 8 was over.

By Friday evening local time, no new attacks were reported, and there were indications of a push to rekindle peace negotiations. CNN reported that "Qatari negotiators — in coordination with the U.S. — have traveled to Iran to meet officials there. An American official earlier said the U.S. was deliberately striking and then pausing to avoid escalation and let diplomacy work out."

Strategic Outlook

Former CENTCOM commander Joseph Votel, who led the command from March 2016 to March 2019, outlined a potential path forward: "I think the immediate way forward will be controlled escalation focused on a military campaign to degrade the regime's ability to disrupt activities in the Gulf."

The two sides signed a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on June 17, providing a 60-day extension of the ceasefire. The MoU aimed to:

• Iron out an agreement to end fighting throughout the region, including Lebanon
• Prevent Iran from seeking nuclear weapons
• End U.S. sanctions
• Resume the flow of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz

Control over the Strait has proven to be the biggest flashpoint, as evidenced by the recent flare-up of fighting.