U.S. Officials: B-2 Bombers Deployed to Guam Amid Middle East Tensions

According to Reuters, two U.S. officials revealed on Saturday that the U.S. is deploying B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is weighing whether the U.S. should get involved in Israel's strikes against Iran.

Reports indicate that it is currently unclear whether this bomber deployment is related to the tensions in the Middle East.

The B-2 bombers can carry U.S. GBU-57 massive penetrator bombs weighing up to 30,000 pounds, designed to destroy targets deep underground. Experts say this weapon could be used against Iran's nuclear program, including the Fordow nuclear facility.

The two officials requested anonymity and declined to provide further details. One official stated that no orders have been given for further deployment of the bombers outside of Guam. They also did not disclose how many B-2 bombers have been mobilized.

Additionally, Fox News reported on the 21st that flight tracking data and communications with air traffic controllers indicate that six B-2 stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri are heading to the U.S. Air Force base in Guam.

Experts and officials are closely monitoring whether the B-2 bombers will be further transferred to the U.S.-UK military base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. Experts believe Diego Garcia is an ideal location for conducting operations in the Middle East.

The U.S. previously deployed B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia, which were only replaced by B-52 bombers last month.

On Saturday, Israel stated that it had killed a senior Iranian commander during over a week of ongoing air battles between both sides. Tehran has stated that it will not negotiate its nuclear program under threat.

Israel claims Iran is close to developing nuclear weapons. Iran insists that its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes.

Trump previously stated that he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the U.S. should side with Israel in the conflict, saying that this period would be enough to "see if people will return to reason."

Reuters had reported earlier that the U.S. had dispatched a large number of refueling aircraft to Europe and increased other military forces in the Middle East, including deploying more fighter jets.

Furthermore, a U.S. aircraft carrier from the Indo-Pacific region is also heading to the Middle East.