US B-52 bombers fly over ME countries in clear saber rattling
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Since October 7, 2023, the US has maintained a considerably heightened military presence in the region.
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A US Air Force B-52H "Stratofortress" from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., is refueled by a KC-135 "Stratotanker" in the US Central Command area of responsibility, Dec. 30, 2020 (Senior Airman Roslyn Ward/US Air Force via AP, FILE)
The US military demonstrated its "capabilities" in the Middle East this week with a flyover of B-52 bombers and other fighter planes, the US Central Command announced.
This mission followed the conclusion of the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group's two-month deployment to the region.
In what many perceive as a flex of muscles and saber rattling, the flyover, which featured two B-52 bombers that took off from RAF Fairford, the United Kingdom, covered nine nations in CENTCOM's area of responsibility.
The operation involved aerial refueling and live munition drops, with American F-15s and fighters from four partner countries accompanying the bombers.
According to CENTCOM Chief General Erik Kurilla, “Bomber Task Force missions demonstrate US power projection capability, commitment to regional security, and ability to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the CENTCOM region."
US authorities have stated that the military has the capabilities and assets to cope with any threats originating from the region.
The B-52 deployment is part of a larger effort to reposition US military forces in the Middle East, particularly when aircraft carriers cycle in and out of the area.
Several B-52 bombers and refueling planes were dispatched to the region in November to maintain a military presence while the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier left.
Since October 7, 2023, the US has maintained a considerably heightened military presence in the region, although the Truman withdrew earlier this month, and there is now no American aircraft carrier in the Middle East.
