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In a new display of military might, two American bomber planes flew from the United States to the Middle East on a round-trip mission that, according to American officials, covered a wide swath of the region and was a direct message of deterrence to Iran.
The flight of the two massive B-52H Stratofortress bombers, the second mission of its kind in less than a month, was designed to underscore America’s continued commitment to the Middle East even as President Donald Trump’s administration withdraws thousands of troops. from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Long-range heavy bombers, which are capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons, are a formidable sight and are flown less frequently in the Middle East than smaller fighter jets such as American fighter jets.
Adversaries often complain about bomber flights in their region, seeing it as a provocative show of force.
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“The ability to fly strategic bombers halfway around the world on a nonstop mission and rapidly integrate them with multiple regional partners demonstrates our close working relationships and our shared commitment to regional security and stability,” said Gen. Frank McKenzie, Chief US commander for the Middle East, it said in a statement.
Senior Airman Keifer Bowes / AP
The flight of the two massive B-52H Stratofortress bombers over the region on Thursday was the second mission of its kind in less than a month. (File photo)
Troop cuts, coupled with the looming departure of the USS Nimitz carrier strike group in the Gulf, have fueled allied concerns that the United States is leaving the region.
Those concerns are compounded by fears that Iran may attack the United States or its allies in retaliation for the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
Iran has blamed the death on Israel, which is suspected in previous killings of Iranian nuclear scientists.
US officials are also concerned about a possible Iranian retaliatory strike on the anniversary of the US airstrike that killed Iran’s top general Qassem Soleimani and senior Iraqi militia leaders near the Baghdad airport in early January.
Iranian-backed militias routinely fire rockets near facilities in Iraq where US and Iraqi troops are located, and officials are concerned about a larger and deadlier assault.
“We do not seek conflict,” McKenzie said, “but we must maintain our stance and commitment to respond to any contingency or in opposition to any aggression.”
A senior military official, who spoke to a small group of reporters on condition of anonymity to provide details of the mission, said the administration believes the risk of an Iranian attack against the United States or allied interests in the region is slightly higher. than normal. now, and the Pentagon wants to make sure Tehran thinks twice before doing anything.
Adding to the concerns is the presidential transition in the US following Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in November. The official said that Iran or other adversaries often believe that the United States may be weaker or slower to respond during a political transition, which US officials flatly deny.
Bomber deployments and short-duration flights to the Middle East and Europe have been used in the past to send messages to Iran, sometimes in the past two years.
According to officials, the bombers flew in from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana on Wednesday (local time) and conducted the flight through Thursday. Officially nicknamed the Stratofortress and informally known as the Big Ugly Fat Fellow, the B-52 gained lasting fame in Vietnam as an aerial terror.
The two bombers left the United States Wednesday night, arrived in the Middle East early Thursday morning, and then began the journey home. They flew a mission of about 36 hours, traveling across the Atlantic Ocean and Europe, then over the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf, making a wide loop near Qatar and staying at a safe distance from the coast of Iran, the military official said. .
The flight was coordinated with U.S. allies in the region, and planes from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Qatar flew with the bombers as they traveled through the airspace, according to the official.
A senior defense official said the bombers did not drop ammunition of any kind during the flight. In some training missions, US aircraft can deploy real, inert, or simulated conventional weapons to ensure that forces remain competent.
American bombers from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota flew a similar mission in late November.
The USS Nimitz, and three other warships from its strike group, had been scheduled to return home by the end of the year, but they have been held back in the region and no new departure schedule has been given.
Officials, however, have made it clear that the return of the ships has not been decided and that the additional time in the Gulf area is unlimited.
The Pentagon announced last month that the United States will reduce troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan in mid-January, stating that the decision fulfills Trump’s promise to bring forces home from long American wars.
With the accelerated withdrawal, the United States will reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500 and in Iraq from approximately 3,000 to 2,500.
