This week, the US military showcased its capabilities in the Middle East with a flyover of B-52 bombers and other fighter jets, according to US Central Command. This mission follows the recent end of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group’s two-month deployment to the region.
The flyover, which involved two B-52 bombers based in the United Kingdom, took them across nine countries in the CENTCOM area of responsibility. The mission included aerial refueling and live munition drops, with American F-15s and fighters from four partner nations escorting the bombers.
“Bomber Task Force missions demonstrate US power projection capability, commitment to regional security, and ability to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the CENTCOM region,” CENTCOM chief Gen. Erik Kurilla said.
US officials have said the military has ample capabilities and assets to deal with any threats emanating from the region.
The US military showcases its capabilities in the Middle East with a flyover of B-52 bombers and other fighter jets across nine partner nations in the region.
Read more: pic.twitter.com/lAUqvgPSj9
The B-52 deployment is part of a broader strategy to adjust US military assets in the Middle East, especially as aircraft carriers are rotated in and out of the region. In November, several B-52 bombers and refueling aircraft were sent to the region to ensure continued military presence as the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier departed. Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the US has maintained a significantly increased military presence in the region, although the Truman left earlier this month, and there is currently no American aircraft carrier in the Middle East.
US assets, especially in the Red Sea, have been crucial in foiling attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis from Yemen, who have targeted military and commercial vessels as well as Israel. The Trump administration is committed to countering the Houthis, having redesignated them a terrorist organization, with ongoing efforts to degrade their military capabilities.
In addition, the US has reiterated its stance on Iran, vowing to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Any military action deemed necessary to neutralize Iran’s nuclear program would require capabilities that only the US currently possesses, including the ability to strike fortified underground facilities.
