Bunker busters, bombers, and battleships: How US is preparing for Iran

With tensions escalating between Iran and Israel, the United States has ramped up its military presence in the Middle East — a move aimed at shielding Israel from Iranian attacks and protecting American forces in the region.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the deployments, saying the movements were made to “ensure that our people are safe.” The Pentagon has sent additional fighter jets, refuelling tankers, and repositioned warships across strategic locations — signalling a potential readiness for deeper involvement.

“We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran,” President Donald Trump declared on social media, fuelling speculation about possible US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

Officials, however, stressed that no American aircraft had entered Iranian airspace as of Tuesday and that all operations remain defensive — aimed at intercepting Iranian missiles threatening Israel.

US AIRCRAFT MOVING TO THE MIDDLE EAST

While numbers remain classified, a dozen F-16s have been relocated to Saudi Arabia, and US fighter jets are now patrolling the skies across the region. B-52 bombers at Diego Garcia are ready, and though B-2 stealth bombers — capable of carrying the 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bomb — are not currently deployed, they remain a powerful option.

The Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or GBU-57, could be used against Iran’s Fordo nuclear site, a facility so deeply buried in the mountains that only this bomb could potentially destroy it. “Only the US has the aircraft and the munitions needed for that kind of strike,” noted US officials.

Aurora Intel, a group that reviews open-source information in real time in the Middle East, said the US Air Force had put additional refuelling aircraft and fighter jets in strategic locations across Europe, including England, Spain, Germany and Greece. The information was obtained from public aviation tracking websites, the Associated Press reported.

American warships have been intercepting Iranian missiles, with destroyers like the USS The Sullivans and USS Arleigh Burke playing a direct role in defending Israel. The USS Carl Vinson and its strike group are now positioned in the Arabian Sea, and the USS Nimitz is en route to reinforce or rotate in.

The USS Gerald R. Ford is set to deploy to the European theatre of command within the next week. Although the mission was pre-planned and not prompted by the current conflict, the aircraft carrier — alongside its escorting warships — will expand Trump’s strategic options.

GROUND FORCES ON ALERT

The US has been moving more military forces into the Middle East in recent days. A third Navy destroyer has entered the eastern Mediterranean Sea, and another aircraft carrier group is on its way to the Arabian Sea, reported WSJ. The Pentagon said this is only a defensive move, but it also gives the US the ability to join Israel if it attacks Iran.

The US troop presence in the Middle East has risen to nearly 40,000, up from the usual 30,000. Families at certain bases have been allowed to voluntarily evacuate, and installations remain on high alert. Troop numbers surged as high as 43,000 last October in response to tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.

With inputs from Associated Press

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