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Saturday, July 18, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Saturday, July 18, 2026
US reportedly sending more warplanes to Mideast as fighting with Iran intensifies
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An F-16 fighter jet flies over an unspecified area of the Middle East, in an image published on June 25, 2026. (CENTCOM)
In addition to more refueling jets, the US is dispatching additional warplanes to the Middle East, according to reports in the Kan public broadcaster and The Wall Street Journal, as fighting with Iran escalates.
The reports say the warplanes include F-35 stealth fighters and F-16 jets, which can attack Iranian radars used in launching surface-to-air missiles.
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