The U.S. is shifting military aircraft and warships into and around the Middle East to protect Israel from Iranian attacks

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a versatile, multirole fighter jet widely used by the U.S. and allied forces. Known for its agility and relatively low cost, the F-16 excels in both air-to-air combat and air-to-ground strikes. First introduced in the 1970s, it has undergone numerous upgrades and remains a core component of U.S. air power.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The U.S. military is deploying more fighter aircraft to the Middle East and extending the deployment of other warplanes, bolstering U.S. military forces in the region as the war between Israel and Iran rages, three U.S. officials said. One of the officials said the deployments include F-16, F-22 and F-35 fighter aircraft.