China claims nearly all of the South China Sea and the waters have become a major flashpoint in its relationship with its neighbours and the US.
The scrambling of the jets comes after Riyadh warned the US that Iran was planning an attack against both Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
The dive, which took place in Bahrain, was the first carried out by Israeli paratroopers in the Gulf.
Thursday's raid by the US was the first known operation in a zone held by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Iran-backed militants targeted the US military's Green Village base in Syria in retaliation after violence arose between the militants and US armed forces.
The defense minister is set to meet with US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to discuss the efforts to return to the JCPOA deal.
Four enemy fighters were killed and seven rocket launchers were destroyed in retaliatory US strikes, CENTCOM said on Thursday.
The tests are said to be a "critical step" toward fielding the batteries.
Israel Air Force halts training flights due to problem with the ejection seats found in the United States military F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet.
Israel to evaluate F-35 squadrons following USAF cautionary grounding amid suspicion over faulty part
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