A squadron of F-22 Raptors has landed at an Israeli airbase in southern Israel. This marks the first time American offensive weapons have been stationed in the country and another Israel taboo the Trump administration has broken.
For decades, stationing U.S. fighters in Israel risked loosing the American bases in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Iraq. Given that the Gulf is better positioned for operations across the Middle East, that trade-off has never been profitable.
The closest Israel came to permanent American bases were a radar station, the recent Civil-Military Coordination Center for Gaza, and what might be called strategic bribes to limit Israeli action.
George H.W. Bush deployed Patriot batteries during the Gulf War to prevent Israel from responding to Saddam Hussein’s Scud missiles. Joe Biden deployed THAAD missile defense systems during the 2024 exchanges with Iran—at least in part to prevent Israeli retaliation.