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| In this photo released by the U.S. Air Force, a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor arrives at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 12, 2022. U.S. F-22 fighter jets arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, part of an American defense response to recent missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeting the country. (Chelsea E. FitzPatrick/U.S. Air Force via AP) |
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - US F-22 fighter spurts arrived in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, part of America's defense response to a recent bullet attack by Yemen's Houthi revolutionists targeting the country. The Raptors landed at Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi, which houses about US colors. American forces there launched Patriot interceptor dumdums in response to a Houthi attack last month, the first time US forces have fired the system in combat since the US- led irruption of Iraq in 2003.
U.S. officers declined to say how numerous F-22s were stationed or the number of birdmen supporting the aircraft, citing functional safety reasons. Still, they linked the unit involved as Combat Wing 1, located at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia. A print latterly released by the Air Force shows six F-22s lined up in a taxiway in Al-Dhafra.
"The presence of the Raptors will strengthen the defenses of formerly strong mate nations and place destabilizing forces as notice that the United States and our mates are committed to enabling peace and stability in the region,"Lt.Gen. Greg Guillot, commander ofU.S. Air Force Middle East Command, said in a statement. a statement.
The deployment comes after the Iran- backed Houthis launched three attacks targeting Abu Dhabi last month, including one targeting a energy depot that killed three people and injured six. The attack coincided with visits by chairpersons from South Korea and Israel to the country.
A shadowy Iraqi group claimed to have launched a drone strike targeting the Emirates in early February, although authorities say they interdicted them. Although overshadowed by the Ukraine extremity, the bullet fire targeting the Emirates has sparked a major US response. The American service has transferred the USS Cole on a charge to Abu Dhabi.
The spillover of Yemen's times-long war to the UAE puts American forces in the crosshairs of the Houthi attack-and increases the threat of indigenous escalation at a pivotal time for addresses in Vienna to potentially restore Iran's nuclear deal with world powers.