US officials confirmed to Axios that B-1 bombers participated in Tuesday's strikes against Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military facilities. The strikes are the first involving B-1 bombers against Iran since the ceasefire began. The activity had been visible on flight-tracking sites in recent days, but was officially confirmed only now.
US officials have confirmed to Axios that B-1 strategic bombers participated in Tuesday's strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) military installations, The Zioneer reports. The confirmation, the latest in a series of official acknowledgments, marks the first use of the heavy bomber against Iran since the ceasefire began.
The Axios confirmation follows a rapid sequence of reports on Wednesday. At 06:59 Jerusalem, The Zioneer reported that a single American official had confirmed a B-1B Lancer took part in the overnight strikes. Within the same hour, multiple US officials confirmed the bomber's involvement, and senior officials stated it was used on Tuesday. By Wednesday morning, i24NEWS reported that the US military had begun using long-range bombers for the first time in 12 days of combat.
The deployment of B-1 bombers represents a significant escalation in the US air campaign against Iran's military infrastructure. The strikes come amid a broader US effort to degrade IRGC capabilities, following a series of unverified IRGC claims of attacks on US assets in the region, as The Zioneer reported on July 9 and July 17. The US has conducted nightly airstrikes for 12 consecutive nights, targeting naval and air force installations.
The specific targets hit by the B-1s on Tuesday and the extent of damage remain unconfirmed by independent sources.
11 developments
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- StrongWSJ: Trump orders B-1 bombers, special forces, fighter jets to Middle East amid Iran escalation
- DevelopingUS Army Launches New Round of Strikes in Iran After Trump Threats
- ConfirmedTrump discussed a short but extensive military operation in Iran, the White House weighs short-duration campaign
Source and signal
- Internal intake
