US sends B-2 stealth bombers to Indian Ocean as tensions with Iran rise

Each bomber costs over $1 billion and is capable of carrying a “Massive Ordnance Penetrator,” a 30,000-pound bomb designed to hit deeply buried targets, such as Iran’s nuclear sites.

Focus on Iran and Yemen

While the US has not named any specific country, military experts believe the deployment is aimed mainly at Iran and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. The Houthis have recently stepped up attacks on American and allied ships in the Red Sea, claiming they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

US airstrike campaign continues against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. (AP)

“The deployment of these B-2s is clearly designed to send a message—perhaps several messages—to Iran,” retired US Air Force colonel Cedric Leighton told CNN. “It could be a warning to stop backing the Houthis. It might also be a push for Iran to return to nuclear talks, or face military action.”

AP added that the B-2s had previously been used in strikes against the Houthis, and that Diego Garcia lies within striking range of both Yemen and Iran.

US sends Aircraft carriers to the Regions

Alongside the stealth bombers, the US is also sending more aircraft carriers to the region. According to CNN and Indian media reports, the USS Harry S. Truman and USS Carl Vinson will operate in the Middle East, while the USS Nimitz is heading toward the South China Sea.

These moves are part of what the Pentagon calls an effort to “improve America’s defensive posture” in the region. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said: “The United States and its partners remain committed to regional security … and are prepared to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the region.”

Trump pressures Iran over nuclear talks

US President Donald Trump has warned Iran to return to nuclear negotiations. In an interview with Fox News, he said, “There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal. I would prefer to make a deal, because I’m not looking to hurt Iran.”

Trump pulled the US out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal during his first term, calling it a “bad deal.” Since then, Iran has advanced its nuclear programme beyond the deal’s limits.

On his platform, Truth Social, Trump recently warned, “Stop shooting at US ships, and we will stop shooting at you. Otherwise, we have only just begun, and the real pain is yet to come, for both the Houthis and their sponsors in Iran.”

China and Russia

Though the focus is on the Middle East, analysts believe the deployments are also meant to be noticed by China and Russia—both of which have close ties with Iran. “It’s unlikely the deployment of six B-2s to Diego Garcia is meant to deter actions by other powers, such as China or Russia, but they are surely taking note,” CNN’s Leighton added.

The Nimitz’s move to the western Pacific, near the South China Sea, is viewed as a warning to Beijing. Meanwhile, the presence of other US assets in the Middle East sends a message to Moscow.

(with inputs from agencies)