The Wall Street Journal reports that the Trump administration has ordered the deployment of special forces, fighter jets, and B-1 bombers to the Middle East, as tensions with Iran escalate. The report adds B-1 bombers to previously reported force movements, including medical teams and combat equipment, according to earlier reports.
The Wall Street Journal reported early Thursday that the Trump administration has ordered the transfer of special forces, fighter jets, and B-1 Lancer bombers to the Middle East, against the backdrop of the escalating confrontation with Iran.
The report adds the B-1 bombers to a growing list of U.S. military assets being moved to the region. As The Zioneer reported at 02:55 Jerusalem, the U.S. Air Force had already moved additional refueling tankers back to the Middle East. Earlier, at 01:53 Jerusalem, we reported on the deployment of medical teams and combat equipment intended to broaden the president's military options. The first report on the force movement, at 02:01 Jerusalem, noted that special forces had been deployed from U.S. bases and that bombers based in the United States and Britain had been placed on high alert.
The new mention of B-1 bombers — which are capable of carrying heavy conventional and nuclear payloads — suggests the Pentagon is preparing for a potential large-scale strike campaign. The B-1s, based in the U.S. and possibly at Diego Garcia, have been used in previous Middle Eastern operations for deep-strike missions.
The specific number of aircraft, their exact destinations, and the timeline of the deployment remain unconfirmed. The Wall Street Journal report is attributed to unnamed American sources and flight tracking data.
2 developments
- DevelopingReport: US deploying medical teams, combat equipment to Middle East to broaden Trump's military options
- StrongTrump orders military chiefs to intensify strikes on Iran after arrival of fallen soldiers' bodies
- DevelopingUS plans to send additional F-16, F-35 jets and tankers to Middle East, CNN reports
- DevelopingUS Air Force moves additional refueling tankers back to Middle East as Washington reportedly prepares to escalate Iran campaign
Source and signal
- Internal intake