U.S. Sends Fighter Jets From Europe to the Middle East

The U.S. is moving F-16 and F-35 fighter jets from Europe to the Middle East, officials told The New York Times on July 19, 2026. The shift supports American forces as the Israel-Iran war continues. F-35s are hard to detect on radar, helping them bypass Iran's defenses. Two U.S. planes were lost over Iran in April.