U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers have arrived in the Middle East to deter Iran and its proxies, the U.S. military announced Nov. 3. It is the first time that B-52s have deployed to a base in the region since 2019.
The U.S. is deploying a total of six B-52s, an additional squadron of F-15E Strike Eagles, and more aerial refueling tankers to support those aircraft, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
The fresh airpower is designed to compensate for the upcoming departure of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, U.S. officials said. It also comes as senior Iranian officials have threatened to attack Israel following Israel’s retaliatory airstrikes on Iranian air defenses and ballistic missile production sites Oct. 26.
“These movements demonstrate the flexible nature of U.S. global defense posture and U.S. capability to deploy worldwide on short notice to meet evolving national security threats,” Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder said in a Nov. 1 statement.
The U.S. military did not say where the B-52s, which are from the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Base, N.D., will be based in the region. But cargo aircraft originating in Minot have arrived at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in recent days. Al Udeid is the largest U.S. base in the Middle East and has previously hosted B-52s.
The Lincoln battlegroup includes warships capable of shooting down ballistic missiles. U.S. cruisers and destroyers weapons helped defend Israel from Iranian ballistic missiles in April and October. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III has also ordered more missile defense-capable destroyers to the region.
“These forces will begin to arrive in coming months,” Ryder said.
These moves come on the heels of other steps the Pentagon has taken to strengthen the U.S. military posture in the region.
Last month, the U.S. deployed a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) ballistic missile defense system to Israel along with nearly 100 U.S. troops to operate it. Some 2,000-plus Marines are in the eastern Mediterranean as part of an Amphibious Ready Group Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) led by the USS Wasp amphibious assault ship.
A fresh squadron of F-16s, the 480th Fighter Squadron from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, deployed to the Middle East in late October. KC-46 Pegasus tankers deployed to CENTCOM in early October before Austin ordered more airpower to the region.
Austin made the decision on the B-52s and other assets “in keeping with our commitments to the protection of U.S. citizens and forces in the Middle East, the defense of Israel, and de-escalation through deterrence and diplomacy,” Ryder said. “Secretary Austin continues to make clear that should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, the United States will take every measure necessary to defend our people.“