Additional squadron of US F-15E fighter jets said en route to Israel ahead of expected Iran attack

The United States is continuing to send forces to the Middle East ahead of an expected Iranian attack on Israel, with flight tracking sites showing American F-15E aircraft en route to Jordan.

According to Haaretz, at least 12 of the jets are on their way to the region, joining the fighter planes already deployed.

There is no formal announcement from the US military.

Iranian leaders have warned they will mete out a “punishing” reprisal attack against Israel for a series of retaliatory sorties on October 26 — themselves a reaction to a massive Iranian ballistic missile attack on October 1 — that Jerusalem says knocked out the Islamic Republic’s air defenses and missile production capabilities.

Reports have indicated the Iranian attack may come as soon as this week and that projectiles could be launched from Iraq.

Earlier this week, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered several B-52 Stratofortress bomber aircraft, tanker aircraft and Navy destroyers to deploy to the Middle East,

Last month, the US rushed its advanced THAAD, or the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, system to to Israel. The anti-missile system is a critical part of the US military’s layered air defense systems and adds to Israel’s already formidable anti-missile defenses.

Agencies contributed to this report.