Twelve US stealth F-22 fighter jets landed on Monday at an Israeli air force base in southern Israel as part of Washington's military reinforcement in the Middle East against Iran, an Israeli security official told Xinhua. The fifth-generation aircraft were seen in video footage leaving the UK for Israel on the same day, according to the Argentine News Agency. The official stated that the Israeli military has been preparing for all scenarios, including a possible 'Iranian attack or a retaliatory strike'. Meanwhile, he affirmed that the security service considers the ongoing indirect negotiations between the United States and Iran to be 'genuine'. The deployment comes amid a massive US military buildup near Iran and reports that US President Donald Trump was considering launching a first strike against Iran. On Tuesday, Israel also updated its guidelines on what constitutes 'essential sectors' in the event of a future state of emergency, based on lessons from the 12-day war last summer with Iran, during which missile and drone attacks triggered widespread security alerts. According to a report from the state-run Kan TV channel, under the revised regulations, employees in key industries, including communications, cyber infrastructure, medical technology, and energy, could be required to continue working even if a state of emergency is declared.
