According to The Wall Street Journal, the Pentagon is deploying F-15E Strike Eagle fighter-bombers and the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Middle East. Citing official sources, the paper reports that the aircraft landed in Jordan on 18 January. In the same region, the United States also plans to station additional air defense assets, including Patriot and THAAD missile defense systems. At the same time, despite stepping back from direct strikes on Iran, US President Donald Trump is said to be pressing his advisers to produce «decisive» military options against the Iranian authorities.

Military analysts describe the F-15E as a multirole aircraft capable of both air-to-air combat and precision strikes against ground targets. In practice, however, they note that throughout most of its service life the jet has been used primarily for delivering high-precision air strikes.

During the so-called «Twelve-Day War», these aircraft became the most effective platform in air engagements, with several dozen Iranian kamikaze drones, including Shahed-type UAVs, credited to their tally. Analysts point out that neither the F-16 nor even the newer F-35 can boast similar results. They link this high effectiveness to the fact that the F-15E was equipped with unguided 70 mm Hydra rockets.

Against this backdrop, many experts conclude that the White House is, in fact, preparing for potential strikes on Iran. The assumption, they argue, is that in the event of escalation, Teheran would rely not only on ballistic missiles but also on kamikaze drones. The decision to base F-15Es not in Qatar but in Oman is seen as a sign that the United States intends to shield not only its own facilities, but also the territory of Israel.