US moves strategic aircraft to Pacific as Trump weighs whether to strike Iran – Reuters
The United States is deploying B-2 strategic bombers to the Pacific island of Guam, two anonymous US officials confirmed to Reuters, as US President Donald Trump weighs whether his country should participate in Israel's strikes on Iran.
Media sources declined to provide any further details. One official said there had been no orders to move bombers out of Guam. Officials did not say how many planes had been moved to the island.
The Pentagon did not respond to Reuters' request for comment.
It is currently unknown whether the redeployment of these B-2s is related to tensions in the Middle East.
These strategic bombers can carry American GBU-57 guided bombs weighing 13,600 kilograms, designed to destroy targets located deep underground. According to experts, it is these weapons that could be used to strike Iran's nuclear program facilities, in particular at Fordow.
The agency notes that analysts and officials are closely watching whether these bombers will be moved to the US-British base on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. According to experts, it is "ideally located for operations in the Middle East."
The United States had B-2 aircraft on Diego Garcia until last month, when they were replaced by B-52 bombers.
- On June 19, The Guardian reported that Trump had not approved a strike on Iran due to concerns about the effectiveness of the GBU-57 bomb. Bloomberg reported that US officials were preparing for a possible strike on Iran in the coming days. CNN reported that the US military had moved some aircraft and ships from the Middle East.
- On June 20, Trump noted that two weeks is the maximum he is giving Iran to "see if the people [of the Islamic Republic] come to their senses." The Israeli Foreign Minister said he does not believe in a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Iran.
- On June 21, Iran's Foreign Minister said that if the United States intervenes in the conflict between his country and Israel, the result will be "very, very dangerous for everyone."
