At least 18 US F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters are now stationed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in northern Jordan. Similar sites have cropped up at key bases across the region, like Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Nearly 850 miles southeast at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan Air Base, new images confirm the arrival of additional US military aircraft. Flight data indicates at least two other E-11s are based out of Prince Sultan Air Base, for a total of four. The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford arrives in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, for a port visit on January 21, 2026.

Source: CNN February 21, 2026 14:02 UTC