NEW YORK, August 8. /TASS/. The US has redeployed some fifth-generation F-22 Raptor fighter jets to the Middle East in the event that tensions between Israel and Iran escalate, US Central Command said.

"F-22 Raptors arrived in the US Central Command area of responsibility August 8 as part of US force posture changes in the region to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or its proxies," the command said on X.

Earlier, the Pentagon announced that it was sending additional warships and aircraft to the Middle East to protect Israel, and increasing readiness to deploy missile defense capabilities.

Tensions in the Middle East sharply escalated following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31, and the elimination of Fuad Shukr, a Hezbollah commander, in Beirut. Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah held Israel responsible for the incidents and said they would not let it go unanswered. Israel did not comment on Haniyeh's killing, and said Shukr was taken out in response to the shelling of the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, which killed 12 people. Hezbollah denied involvement in the incident.