The United States is moving B-2 bombers to Guam, two US officials told Reuters on Saturday, amid President Donald Trump’s deliberation on whether to engage the US in Israel’s military actions against Iran during heightened tensions in the Middle East.
Unclear If US Deployment Is Directly Tied to Middle East Tensions
Reuters report further said that it is still unclear if the deployment is specifically linked to the growing tensions in the Middle East.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, withheld further information. One of them informed Reuters that no advance orders had been made to shift the bombers beyond Guam. No figure was released on how many B-2 aircraft are being deployed. The Pentagon has yet to respond to a request for comment.
Trump to Hold National Security Meeting
As fighting between Iran and Israel entered its second week, both sides continued to launch new attacks, including a new raid on the Isfahan nuclear plant. Trump’s position regarding possible U.S. participation remains uncertain.
The president, rarely in Washington at the weekend, is likely to return to the White House in the evening on Saturday to hold an unspecified “National Security Meeting.”
Trump told Iran on Friday that it had a “maximum” of two weeks to prevent possible U.S. airstrikes, and hinted that a decision could be made before the two weeks he previously suggested.
What Do We Know About US B-2 Bombers?
The US B-2 bomber, which can carry the 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker-buster bomb, is under scrutiny with the current tensions with Iran. The GBU-57 or Massive Ordnance Penetrator is the sole weapon that is reportedly capable of destroying deeply buried nuclear facilities such as Iran’s Fordow plant, AFP reports.
The GBU-57 is not owned by Israel, Analysts are watching to see if the B-2s will be transferred to Diego Garcia, an Indian Ocean US-British military facility that is strategically well-situated for Middle East operations. B-2s were based there previously until last month before they were replaced with B-52 bombers.
Iran-Israel Tensions Surge Amid US Military Buildup and Nuclear Standoff
At the same time, Israel asserted on Saturday that it had killed a top Iranian commander during ongoing airstrikes between the two nations. Iran replied that it wouldn’t negotiate its nuclear program while threatened. Israel maintains that Iran is close to achieving nuclear weapons capability, while Tehran says it is a peaceful program.
President Donald Trump has indicated he may decide within two weeks whether to involve the US militarily, saying the delay would allow time “to see whether or not people come to their senses.”
Earlier this week, Reuters documented a significant US military buildup, including a multitude of tanker planes dispatched to Europe and fighter jets dispatched to the Middle East. In addition, a US aircraft carrier that was recently in the Indo-Pacific is heading to the region.
