On June 21, two US defense officials revealed that Washington is deploying B-2 stealth bombers to Guam in the Pacific Ocean, in the context of President Donald Trump considering the possibility of sending the US to fight with Israel in airstrikes against Iran.
Although the Pentagon declined to comment, the move immediately raised doubts about the connection between the B-2 deployment and the escalating military confrontation in the Middle East.
Notably, the B-2 is a mechanical anti-ship aircraft capable of carrying a 13.6-ton GBU-57 bomb - one of the most powerful weapons in the US designed to destroy targets located deep underground. This is also the type of weapon that experts say can be used to hit the Fordow nuclear facility - the heart of Iran's nuclear program.
It is not yet clear how many B-2s have been deployed, and whether they will continue to be delivered to Diego Garcia base - a strategic stronghold of the US and UK in the Indian Ocean. Diego Garcia has been the starting point for many military campaigns in the Middle East and has an ideal position to attack Iran.
Until last month, B-2s were still stationed at Diego Garcia before being replaced by B-52. But with the current developments, analysts are closely monitoring the possibility of the US re-deploying the B-2 in the near future to prepare for a larger military scenario.
At the same time, the US has also quietly sent many oil tanker and fighter jets to Europe and the Middle East. An air carrier from the Indo-Pacific region is also on its way to the Middle East.
Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and Iran has shown no signs of cooling down. Israel has just announced the killing of a veteran Iranian commander in new airstrikes, while Tehran has affirmed that it will not negotiate on a nuclear program under military pressure.
President Donald Trump has said he will spend up to two weeks deciding whether to draft the US into the war directly, with a meaningful message: enough time to see if everyone is alert.
