JERUSALEM, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Twelve U.S. F-22 stealth fighter jets landed at an Israeli air force base in southern Israel on Monday as part of Washington's military buildup in the Middle East against Iran, an Israeli security official told Xinhua.
The fifth-generation aircraft were seen in video footage departing Britain earlier in the day en route to Israel.
The official said the Israeli military has been preparing for all scenarios, including a possible "Iranian attack or retaliatory strike."
Meanwhile, he said the security establishment assesses the ongoing U.S.-Iran indirect negotiations as "genuine."
The deployment comes amid a huge U.S. military buildup near Iran and reports that U.S. President Donald Trump was considering launching an initial strike on Iran.
Also on Tuesday, Israel updated its guidelines on what constitutes "essential sectors" in the event of a future state of emergency, drawing on lessons from last summer's 12-day war with Iran, during which missile and drone attacks disrupted daily life in many parts of the country and prompted widespread security alerts.
Under the revised regulations, employees in key industries, including communications, cyber infrastructure, medical technology and energy, could be required to continue working even if a state of emergency is declared, according to a report by state-owned Kan TV. ■
