F-22 jets deploy at Israeli Air Force base as US builds up forces for Iran strike

F-22 jets deploy at Israeli Air Force base as US builds up forces for Iran strike

Emanuel Fabian

Lazar Berman

Israeli officials reportedly believe US attack is ‘unavoidable’; Iran said to okay counterproposal for next round of nuclear talks on Thursday as IRGC holds drills on Iran’s coast

American F-22 stealth fighter jets were deployed at an Israeli Air Force base in southern Israel on Tuesday, as part of the United States’s massive buildup of military forces in the Middle East, The Times of Israel has learned.

The jets were stationed at an airbase in the United Kingdom in recent days, according to open-source flight tracking data and aircraft spotters, and were seen taking off earlier on Tuesday.

Their arrival in Israel is another step in the amassing of American aircraft in the region as tensions between Iran and the US threaten to erupt into war.

Negotiations between the two countries over the Iranian nuclear program are ongoing, and the sides are due to meet on Thursday in Geneva. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has reportedly gotten the green light for a counterproposal to submit to the American negotiating team.

But US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened that he will attack Iran if those talks fail. Iran has vowed to strike Israel and US targets in the region in response.

Israeli officials are said to believe that a US strike is inevitable, and top military brass from the two countries have reportedly been in contact. One official quoted by Channel 12 news on Tuesday said that a diplomatic resolution to the conflict would be the “surprise of the year.”

Against that backdrop, a total of 12 F-22s were seen taking off from Royal Air Force Lakenheath in England

The F-22, operated exclusively by the US Air Force, is the world’s most advanced air-superiority fighter, built for unmatched speed, maneuverability, and stealth in air-to-air combat.

The deployment of US fighter jets at Israeli airbases for operational activities — rather than for joint training with the IAF — is extremely rare.

In total, dozens of fighter jets — including F-35s, F-22s, F-15s, and F-16s — have been spotted heading to the Middle East in recent days by the Military Air Tracking Alliance, a team of about 30 open-source analysts that routinely analyzes military and government flight activity.

The team says it’s also tracked dozens of accompanying fuel tankers, as well as hundreds of cargo flights, heading into the region since mid-February. On Monday, American refueler and cargo planes were spotted at Ben Gurion Airport.

More...

BREAKING: UK & France Reportedly Plan to Give Ukraine Nuclear Weapons – Medvedev’s Chilling Reply Signals Global Disaster

BREAKING: UK & France Reportedly Plan to Give Ukraine Nuclear Weapons – Medvedev’s Chilling Reply Signals Global Disaster

Mark Van der Veen

Russian state media is reporting a bombshell intelligence claim that the United Kingdom and France are preparing to arm Ukraine with nuclear weapons — or at least the components and fissile material needed to make it appear as if Ukraine developed a nuclear capability on its own. 

According to the SVR (Russia’s foreign intelligence service), the goal is to give Zelenskyy leverage for a “favorable” peace deal by creating the perception that Ukraine possesses nuclear weapons, possibly including a dirty bomb. This would be a direct transfer of nuclear technology to a country actively at war with Russia.

The response from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was immediate and chilling. He warned that Russia will use “any, including non-strategic nuclear weapons,” against targets in Ukraine that pose a threat to Russia — and if necessary, against the supplier countries (UK and France) that become accomplices in a nuclear conflict. 

Medvedev stated: “Information from the SVR about France and Britain’s intention to transfer nuclear technologies to the Kiev Nazi regime radically changes the situation… This is a direct transfer of nuclear weapons to a warring country. 

There can’t be the slightest doubt that under such circumstances, Russia will have to use any, including non-strategic nuclear weapons, against targets in Ukraine that pose a threat to our country. And if necessary, against the supplier countries that become accomplices in a nuclear conflict with Russia. This is the symmetrical response to which the Russian Federation has the right.”

This is an extremely dangerous escalation. If true, the UK and France would be crossing a nuclear red line by arming a combatant nation with weapons of mass destruction technology during an active war with a nuclear superpower. Medvedev’s threat to potentially strike supplier countries directly raises the specter of a wider European or even global conflict. Russia has already warned repeatedly that it considers deep involvement by NATO countries as crossing into direct war.

Medvedev’s language is deliberately harsh and leaves little room for misinterpretation. Russia views this as an existential threat and is signaling it will respond with overwhelming force, including tactical nuclear weapons if necessary. The world is now watching to see if London and Paris are actually considering such a step or if this is Russian disinformation designed to deter further Western involvement.

This development should terrify every rational person. Arming Ukraine with nuclear weapons would not bring peace — it would dramatically increase the risk of nuclear war. The West has already poured hundreds of billions into this conflict with little to show for it except dead soldiers and a devastated region. Escalating to the nuclear level would be catastrophic.

Iran poised to acquire advanced Chinese anti-ship missiles - report

Iran poised to acquire advanced Chinese anti-ship missiles - report

i24NEWS

Iran is reportedly on the verge of securing a deal with China to purchase supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, a move that could dramatically boost its naval strike capabilities in the Persian Gulf. 

Sources familiar with the negotiations said to Reuters that the deal involves the Chinese CM‑302 missile, a weapon capable of flying low at supersonic speeds to evade ship defenses, with a reported range of around 290 kilometers.

Negotiations, which have reportedly been ongoing for over two years, accelerated following last year’s 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran. Senior Iranian officials, including Deputy Defense Minister Massoud Oraei, traveled to China to advance discussions. While the precise number of missiles and financial details remain unclear, weapons experts warn the deal would pose a significant threat to U.S. naval forces operating in the region.

Military cooperation between Tehran and Beijing has been growing, with China’s support reinforcing Iran’s strategic position amid rising tensions with the United States. 

The CM‑302 would be among the most sophisticated Chinese weapons systems transferred to Iran, potentially violating longstanding U.N. arms embargoes. Beyond anti-ship missiles, Iran is reportedly discussing purchases of Chinese surface-to-air systems, anti-ballistic weapons, and even anti-satellite capabilities.

Historically, China supplied Iran with weapons in the 1980s, but large-scale transfers dwindled under international pressure in the late 1990s. In recent years, U.S. officials have accused Chinese companies of supplying missile-related materials, though not complete systems.

This potential acquisition follows Iran’s separate secret €500 million deal with Russia in December to purchase thousands of advanced shoulder-fired missiles, including 500 Verba units and 2,500 9M336 missiles, designed to strengthen ground-based air defenses after losses sustained in last year’s conflict with Israel. Deliveries are scheduled from 2027 to 2029, though some systems may arrive sooner.

Medvedev: Moscow will respond if NATO gives nukes to ‘Nazi regime in Kiev’

Moscow will respond if NATO gives nukes to ‘Nazi regime in Kiev’ – Medvedev

RT

Russia would launch a nuclear response if NATO countries supplied atomic weapons to Ukraine, former President Dmitry Medvedev has warned. 

Medvedev, who now serves as deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, was commenting to RT on Tuesday on claims by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) that London and Paris are considering ways to provide nuclear weaponry or related components to Kiev. 

“I will be blunt and state the obvious,” Medvedev said, adding that the reported intention by the UK and France to hand over nuclear capabilities to the “Nazi regime in Kiev”would change the situation entirely.

“This is a direct transfer of nuclear weapons to a country at war,” he stated.

According to the SVR, British and French officials are weighing the “covert transfer of relevant European-made components, equipment, and technologies to Ukraine,” and preparing an information campaign to portray any resulting capability as domestically developed.

“There should be no doubt whatsoever that in such a scenario Russia would be forced to use any means at its disposal, including non-strategic nuclear weapons, against targets in Ukraine that threaten our country,” Medvedev stated. “And if necessary, against the supplier nations now implicated in a nuclear conflict with Russia. This is the kind of symmetrical response that the Russian Federation would be entitled to,” he added.

The SVR also alleged that another option under discussion was the provision of a complete French TN 75 nuclear warhead used on submarine launched ballistic missiles, or assistance in building a radioactive “dirty bomb”using conventional explosives and nuclear materials. Kiev could seek “more advantageous terms” in any negotiations if it possessed such weapons, the SVR suggested, adding that Germany had “prudently refused” to participate.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the reported plans as “potentially very dangerous,” saying they would threaten the global non-proliferation regime.

Did A Civil War In Mexico Just Begin?

Did A Civil War In Mexico Just Begin?

Michael Snyder

Selling illegal drugs to the United States is one of the central pillars of the Mexican economy. I understand that it isn’t a pleasant thing to think about, but it is true. The cartels that control the flow of drugs into the U.S. have become exceedingly powerful over the years. The cartels essentially run much of the country, and collectively they probably possess more military firepower than the Mexican government does. The good news for the Mexican government is that the cartels are not united. They have always spent a tremendous amount of time and energy fighting one another, but if something occurred that changed all that, it would certainly be a very ominous development.

Have we just witnessed such an event?

On Sunday, the death of El Mencho caused violence to erupt all over Mexico…

His death is not going to do much to disrupt the operation of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel because it is highly decentralized.

But it could potentially unite the cartels against a common enemy.

Without a doubt, the JNGC is going be seeking revenge, and there have been numerous reports of gunfire in and around Puerto Vallarta within the past 24 hours…

Cartel members aren’t just setting vehicles on fire because they are angry.

It is a common tactic for cartel members to set vehicles on fire in order to slow down the movements of the Mexican military.

One American that was in Mexico at the time that all the chaos broke out had an interesting story about how he got back to the airport…

So far, I have not seen any reports of any U.S. tourists have been killed, although U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno seems to think that the cartels are “hunting down American citizens”…

Bernie Moreno took to X on Monday to relay ‘troubling’ reports that narco-terrorists are ‘hunting down American citizens’ in Puerto Vallarta amid gangs clashing with authorities in the city.

‘The drug cartels should be aware that if any American citizen is harmed in Mexico there will be a violent and terminal retribution from the US. Any USMCA negotiations should cease until this situation is resolved,’ the senator added.

Yes, there are many Americans that are trapped in Mexico right now that are scared out of their minds.

An American couple on their first trip away from their four-year-old son have told their family members where their wills are hidden after becoming trapped in Mexico.

The unnamed individuals were on vacation in Puerto Vallarta when the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was killed by the Mexican military on Sunday, prompting widespread violence across the region.

‘I had to call my mom today and, you know, just tell her, “Look, here’s where my will is. We just created this. I don’t want you to panic, but I may need you to stay a couple [of] days extra with my son”,’ the concerned father told Fox Digital.

A showdown between the large cartels and the central government in Mexico City has been coming for a long time.

And apparently the JNGC had already prepared an extensive plan in case something like this ever happened…

MORE....