Why is the US sending E-2D Hawkeye aircraft to the Middle East?

The US is deploying E-2D Hawkeye aircraft to the Middle East to counter Iranian drone and cruise missile threats. Acting as 'eyes in the sky', these flying command centers provide long-range detection that ground radar misses. By linking F-35s and naval ships into a real-time network, the E-2D ensures faster coordination in an increasingly complex drone war.