Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Abu Zaid: I believe that the Iranian operation was multi-layered, combining cyber and electronic attacks with coordinated on-the-ground infiltrations by agents
Abu Zaid: Usually, archives of such sensitivity are typically protected by a full-scale security system, but it appears that Iranian intelligence managed to make use of a gap in it
Strategic military expert Nidal Abu Zaid: Iran has stripped "Israel" of the superiority and deterrence long boasted by its security minister, chief of staff, and other top officials
Fallahpour: Iran may use these documents in its battle with the United States and Western countries over its nuclear program
Fallahpour: Iran may have obtained additional documents related to "Israel's" regional projects, not just its nuclear program
Fallahpour: The coming weeks will be full of surprises, as Iran has forced Israeli intelligence agencies into a state of psychological exhaustion
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Tehran, Siavash Fallahpour: Iran has redefined the concept of deterrence, shifting it away from traditional military balance toward a new strategic framework
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Number of documents so great that merely studying them, along with accompanying images and footage will require a great deal of time.
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Large data trove was confirmed to have arrived to "safe sites".
Sources to Al Mayadeen: Operation had taken place in past, but large size of documents and need to transfer entire batch inside Iran necessitated secrecy.

Military buildup: US moves 5 B-2 stealth bombers to Indian Ocean base

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: UK Defence Journal
  • 26 Mar 2025 09:04
  • 5 Shares
5 Min Read

The timing of the Diego Garcia deployment aligns with intensified US airstrikes on Yemen.

Listen
  • x
  • This photo provided by the U.S. Navy on Feb. 11, 2023 shows U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) during a routine port visit at Diego Garcia. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Elliot Schaudt/U.S. Navy via AP)
    This photo provided by the US Navy on Feb. 11, 2023, shows US Navy Sailors aboard the USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60) during a routine port visit at Diego Garcia. (US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Elliot Schaudt/US Navy via AP)

Recent movements of US military assets to Diego Garcia indicate preparations for a major air campaign, UK Defence Journal reported. This follows the most extensive US strikes in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office, targeting Yemen.

According to open-source intelligence (OSINT) analysis of military flight tracking data, at least five B-2 Spirit stealth bombers and seven C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft have either arrived at the Indian Ocean base or are en route.

The build-up coincides with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s confirmation that Washington will continue striking Yemen until the country stops “attacking commercial and military shipping in the Red Sea.” The latest US airstrikes killed at least 53 Yemenis, primarily women and children, marking a sharp escalation in the aggression.

A US official recently told journalists that the military campaign against Yemen “could last for weeks”—raising speculation that the deployment of B-2 bombers to Diego Garcia signals a possible expansion of air operations.

The military activity was first reported by OSINT analyst IntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog), a respected specialist who tracks military aircraft movements using publicly available data such as ADS-B flight tracking and ACARS messaging systems.

Dive deeper

IntelFrog initially observed that at least 18 US Air Force KC-135 tankers were staged at multiple locations, including Travis AFB (California), Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (Hawaii), and Andersen AFB (Guam). The presence of so many refueling aircraft in different locations suggests strategic pre-positioning for an aerial operation involving strike aircraft.

Further analysis from IntelFrog showed tankers moving from Guam to Diego Garcia, while groups of B-2 stealth bombers were tracked in transit from Whiteman AFB to the island. These movements, described as “not typical", appear linked to an impending military operation.

Additionally, a surge in C-17A Globemaster III transport flights to Diego Garcia has been detected, with at least seven aircraft landing at the base within the past three days. This increase suggests the transfer of personnel, supplies, and possibly munitions in preparation for the bomber deployment.

Related News

US to withdraw from Syria bases, retain one in al-Hasakah

US withdraws 500 troops from Syria as Trump backs rebel recruitment

IntelFrog emphasized that the “scale of these movements is unusual” and indicates preparations for a "significant operation".

Wider context 

The timing of the Diego Garcia deployment aligns with intensified US airstrikes on Yemen. Washington has been conducting these strikes since late 2023 in an attempt to deter Yemen from pursuing operations against international shipping in the Red Sea, carried out in solidarity with Gaza amid the ongoing Israeli offensive, which has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians. The disruption caused by these attacks has forced major shipping companies to reroute vessels around Africa.

The US government has vowed to continue its military campaign until Yemen halts its operations.

Meanwhile, the leader of Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi stressed last week that "the Yemeni armed forces will resume their escalation at the highest levels against the occupation," directly addressing the Palestinian people: "You are not alone."

Sayyed al-Houthi emphasized that "there are no longer any red lines," warning that "the occupation has shown no regard for any considerations as it carries out genocide, total destruction, and horrific killings."

Defense Secretary Hegseth previously stated that the air campaign would persist “for as long as necessary to ensure freedom of navigation through the Red Sea.” 

Meet the Diego Garcia base

Diego Garcia, a British-controlled island in the Indian Ocean, has historically served as a launch point for US strategic bombers and long-range missions. The base was pivotal in US-led military operations during the Gulf War, the war on Iraq, and the war on Afghanistan and has been used for air campaigns against countries in the Middle East and South Asia.

It is one of two critical US bomber bases in the Indo-Pacific region, alongside Andersen Air Force Base in Guam. It has been used as a joint UK–US military base since the 1970s.

The deployment of multiple B-2 stealth bombers to Diego Garcia is particularly notable. The aircraft, designed for precision strikes on "high-value targets", can carry both conventional and nuclear weapons. With its advanced stealth capabilities, the B-2 can penetrate heavily defended airspace, making it a key asset in strategic bombing missions.

The presence of refueling tankers, C-17 transport aircraft, and multiple B-2 bombers suggests that the US is positioning itself for an extended military operation. While there has been no official confirmation, military analysts believe this build-up signals an expansion of airstrikes against Yemen.

Read more: Yemeni forces clash with US Navy in hours-long operation: Saree

  • US occupation forces
  • US airstrikes
  • Diego Garcia
  • airstrikes on Yemen
  • Indian Ocean
  • Israeli aggression
  • Israel
  • Gaza genocide
  • Israeli occupation
  • Yemen
  • US bomber

Most Read

Lebanon's PM Nawaf Salam meets with US envoy Morgan Ortagus in Beirut on April 5, 2025 (Dalati Nohra via AP)AP)

Morgan Ortagus to exit US role in Lebanon amid policy shift

  • Politics
  • 1 Jun 2025
A Palestinian woman mourns as she embraces the body of her daughter Mayar Abu Odeh, 8, who was killed in an Israeli army strike on Gaza. at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (AP)

French port workers block arms shipment to 'Israel' amid Gaza genocide

  • Politics
  • 4 Jun 2025
New Syrian group claims Golan strike, vows resistance to 'Israel'

New Syrian group claims Golan strike, vows resistance to 'Israel'

  • Politics
  • 4 Jun 2025
Palestinians struggle to get donated food at a community kitchen in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Monday, June 2, 2025. (AP)

Boston Consulting Group withdraws from GHF

  • Palestine
  • 3 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/pentagon-chief--nato-likely-to-back-trump-s-5--defence-spend
Politics

Europe spent $3 trillion on defense, but got little in return - FT

Power, parties, and scandal: Trump’s ties to Epstein: Telegraph
Europe

Power, parties, and scandal: Trump’s ties to Epstein - The Telegraph

Eilat port as seen from the sea, occupied Palestine, March 12 2009 (wikimedia commons)
Politics

YAF operations forced 80% plunge in Eilat port revenues in 2024

EU backs International Criminal Court after US sanctions judges
Europe

EU backs International Criminal Court after US sanctions judges

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS