“The U.S. is sending F-35 jet fighters and a Navy destroyer to the Middle East to bulk up its forces following a series of challenges by Iranian and Russian forces in the region, U.S. officials said Monday.
The U.S. is already using F-16 fighters and A-10 attack planes to fly armed patrols in the Persian Gulf to deter Iran from attempting to seize oil tankers. The deployment of the additional forces, which will include more F-16s, follows Iranian attempts earlier this month to seize two commercial oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.”