US F-22 jets arrive in Middle East to counter Iran, proxies

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Thursday the arrival of F-22 fighter jets to its area of responsibility as tensions run high in the Middle East. 

CENTCOM said the F-22 raptors are "part of U.S. force posture changes in the region to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or its proxies."

Tensions are running high in the Middle East following the July 31 assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in the Iranian capital Tehran and Israel's assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut.

Hamas and Iran have accused Israel of carrying out Haniyeh’s assassination, while Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied responsibility.

Iran vowed "harsh punishment" for Israel in retaliation for Haniyeh’s killing on Iranian soil.

Hezbollah, the Lebanese group, is also expected to retaliate after Israel assassinated Shukr in an airstrike on a southern suburb of Beirut on July 30.

The US said it was not aware or involved in Haniyeh’s assassination and urged Iran and Israel to not "escalate" the conflict in the region.

Washington also said it is prepared to protect Israel from attacks from Iran and announced Friday that it would deploy additional military assets to the Middle East.

The escalation comes amid an ongoing Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip which has killed nearly 39,600 Palestinians.