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USA Today
02-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
As Iran tensions build, US military moves warplanes to reinforce Middle East
As Iran tensions build, US military moves warplanes to reinforce Middle East WASHINGTON, April 1 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reinforced U.S. military capability in the Middle East with more warplanes, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, amid a more than two-week-old U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen and mounting tensions with Iran. The Pentagon's brief statement did not specify which aircraft were being deployed or where precisely they were sent. However, as many as six B-2 bombers have relocated in the past week or so to a U.S.-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, according to U.S. officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. Experts say that puts the B-2s, which have stealth technology and are equipped to carry the heaviest U.S. bombs and nuclear weapons, in an ideal position to operate in the Middle East. "Should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement. The U.S. military's Strategic Command has declined to say how many B-2s have reached Diego Garcia and noted that it does not comment on exercises or operations involving the B-2. More: Iran supreme leader Khamenei says Iran will deliver 'strong blow' against US if it attacks There is already considerable firepower in the Middle East and the U.S. military will soon have two aircraft carriers in the region. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program. While B-2 bombers have been employed to strike buried Houthi targets in Yemen, most experts say use of the stealthy bomber is overkill there and the targets aren't buried so deeply. However, the B-2 is equipped to carry America's most potent bomb -- the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. That is the weapon that experts say could be used to strike Iran's nuclear program. There are only 20 B-2 bombers in the Air Force's inventory so they are usually used sparingly. More: Trump aides pledge in court to preserve Signal messages about Yemen attack Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday the U.S. would receive a strong blow if Trump followed through with his threats. Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Commander Amirali Hajizadeh threatened U.S. forces in the Middle East, noting American bases in the Middle East and adding: "They are in a glass house and should not throw stones." One official told Reuters that the U.S. military was also moving some air defense capabilities from Asia to the Middle East. More: Trump says 'there will be bombing' if Iran does not make nuclear deal In his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the U.S. from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's disputed nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also reimposed sweeping U.S. sanctions. Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal's limits on uranium enrichment. Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian energy purposes. (Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Leslie Adler and Cynthia Osterman)
Asharq Al-Awsat
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
As Iran Tensions Build, US Military Moves Warplanes to Reinforce Middle East
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has reinforced US military capability in the Middle East with more warplanes, the Pentagon said on Tuesday, amid a more than two-week-old US bombing campaign in Yemen and mounting tensions with Iran. The Pentagon's brief statement did not specify which aircraft were being deployed or where precisely they were sent. However, as many as six B-2 bombers have relocated in the past week or so to a US-British military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, according to US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity. The B-2s have stealth technology and are equipped to carry the heaviest US bombs and nuclear weapons. "Should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people," Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement. The US military's Strategic Command has declined to say how many B-2s have reached Diego Garcia and noted that it does not comment on exercises or operations involving the B-2. There is already considerable firepower in the Middle East and the US military will soon have two aircraft carriers in the region. US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program. While B-2 bombers have been employed to strike buried Houthi targets in Yemen, most experts say use of the stealthy bomber is overkill there and the targets aren't buried so deeply. However, the B-2 is equipped to carry America's most potent bomb -- the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. That is the weapon that experts say could be used to strike Iran's nuclear program. There are only 20 B-2 bombers in the Air Force's inventory so they are usually used sparingly. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Monday the US would receive a strong blow if Trump followed through with his threats. Revolutionary Guards Aerospace Commander Amirali Hajizadeh threatened US forces in the Middle East, noting American bases in the Middle East and adding: "They are in a glass house and should not throw stones." One official told Reuters that the US military was also moving some air defense capabilities from Asia to the Middle East. In his 2017-2021 term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's disputed nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump also reimposed sweeping US sanctions. Since then, Iran has far surpassed that deal's limits on uranium enrichment. Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian energy purposes.
Korea Herald
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
S. Korea, US wrap up key joint military exercise against NK threats
South Korea and the United States wrapped up a major annual combined military exercise aimed at bolstering their defense capabilities against North Korean military threats Thursday, the South's military said. The computer-simulated Freedom Shield exercise drew to an end after an 11-day run in the face of North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats and deepening military cooperation with Russia. This year's exercise marked the first major military exercise by the allies since US President Donald Trump returned to office in January, with the US military having reaffirmed its security commitment to South Korea. For this year's exercise, South Korea deployed some 19,000 troops, and the allies staged expanded on-field drills to enhance their interoperability, the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said. The exercise involved drills across the land, sea, air cyber and space domains, with South Korea's Strategic Command and the naval Task Fleet Command joining the joint exercise for the first time. "By reflecting realistic threats, such as changes in the North Korean military's strategy, tactics and forces, learned from Russia and North Korea's military cooperation and various armed conflicts, South Korea and the US could enhance the alliance's combined defense posture and response capabilities through realistic training," the JCS said. JCS Chairman Adm. Kim Myung-soo held in-depth discussions with the chief of the Combined Forces Command on the impact of Pyongyang and Moscow's military cooperation on the Korean Peninsula, it added. North Korea has long condemned the allies' joint drills as a rehearsal for an invasion against and has a track record of staging weapons tests in response. The North released a barrage of statements denouncing the joint drills as a "dangerous provocative act" and fired several ballistic missiles, believed to be close-range ones, on the first day of the exercise. But it did not carry out major provocations, such as the firing of a long-range ballistic missiles, this year. Freedom Shield is one of the allies' two major annual exercises that train troops based on an all-out war scenario. The other exercise -- Ulchi Freedom Shield -- usually takes place in August.
