In an unprecedented move, the US has decided to redeploy between 6 and 7 B-2 SPIRIT stealth strategic bombers to the base at Diego Garcia, a strategic atoll in the Indian Ocean. This represents almost half of the USAF's B-2 fleet. Some of the aircraft have already reached the base, where at least 7 C-17 cargo planes have also appeared to transport personnel, equipment, and weapons. For several days, there had been intense KC-135 tanker activity at American bases in the Pacific to refuel the bombers along their transfer route. It is worth recalling that, already on October 16, an unspecified number of B-2s – last used in 2017 when they struck an Islamic State training camp in Libya – were employed to carry out a series of attacks on at least 5 underground Houthi weapons depots in western Yemen.
In addition to the SPIRIT redeployment, the Pentagon has ordered the USS CARL VINSON aircraft carrier and its battle group to join the TRUMAN carrier in the Middle East, whose deployment in the area has been extended by at least another month, while an unspecified number of F-35As is also reported to be arriving at bases in the region.
Washington is thus preparing to intensify its air and missile campaign against the Houthis in Yemen and to increase pressure on Tehran. According to Axios, in the letter sent by US authorities to their Iranian counterparts regarding the need to reach a new agreement on Tehran’s nuclear program (i.e.: shut it down), an ultimatum expiring in early May is also said to be included.
In short, the Trump Administration is clearly implementing a significant strengthening of its air-naval presence in the Middle East as part of its maximum pressure policy against Tehran.
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