The U.S. military conducted a bomber task force mission in the Middle East on March 4—the third such one in two weeks, stated U.S. Central Command on Thursday.
CENTCOM, which holds purview over the region, stated that the operation served to strengthen “partner interoperability” and demonstrate “force projection capabilities in the region.”
The mission consisted of a B-52H Stratofortress from the Royal Air Force Fairford base in Gloucestershire, in the United Kingdom, flying across Europe and into CENTCOM’s area of responsibility. The flight included aerial refueling and training opportunities with partner nations, per CENTCOM.
The U.S. military’s short statement, which included video footage of a mid-air refueling, didn’t mention the Jewish state.
The Israel Defense Forces said that Israeli F-15s and F-35s conducted joint exercises with the B-52 during its flight, and “practiced operational coordination between the two militaries to enhance their ability to address various regional threats.”
The cooperation comes two weeks after the U.S. Air Force said that B-52s from the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron conducted “multiple missions over the Arabian Peninsula and Red Sea,” including live weapons drops.
“Bomber task force missions demonstrate the U.S. military’s ability to rapidly deploy combat power anywhere in the world and integrate it with coalition and partner forces to enhance U.S. Central Command’s ability to promote security and stability in the region,” the Air Force said.
The operations take place as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump contemplates its strategy on Iran. The administration has implemented additional sanctions against the Islamic Republic and announced on Thursday that it would review all existing sanctions waivers.
Its so-called “maximum pressure” campaign has been tempered, at times, with comments from Trump that he would like to strike a deal with Tehran over its nuclear program before military action is necessary.
Iran recently conducted a series of nuclear defense drills, and it reportedly reinforced defenses around its main nuclear and missile sites, fearful of an attack from Israel and the United States.
