US ‘moving’ B-2 bombers to Guam amid Israel-Iran tensions: Report

Experts are watching if B-2 bombers will be sent to Diego Garcia, a US-UK base in the Indian Ocean seen as a key location for Middle East operations.

The United States is relocating B-2 bombers to Guam, according to two US officials who spoke to Reuters on Saturday, as President Donald Trump considers whether to involve the US in Israel’s military actions against Iran amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Reuters report added that it remains uncertain whether the deployment is directly connected to the escalating tensions in the Middle East.

The officials, who requested anonymity, withheld additional details. One of them told Reuters that no forward orders had been issued to move the bombers beyond Guam. The number of B-2 aircraft being deployed was also not disclosed.

The Pentagon has not yet responded to a request for comment.

As hostilities between Israel and Iran entered a second week, both sides launched fresh attacks, including another strike on the Isfahan nuclear facility. Meanwhile, Trump’s stance on potential U.S. involvement remains unclear.

The president, who seldom stays in Washington over the weekend, is expected to return to the White House on Saturday evening for an undisclosed "National Security Meeting."

On Friday, Trump said Iran had a "maximum" of two weeks to avert potential U.S. airstrikes, suggesting that a decision might come before the two-week period he mentioned a day earlier.

What do we know about B-2 bombers?

The US B-2 bomber, capable of carrying the 30,000-pound GBU-57 bunker-buster bomb, is being closely watched amid ongoing tensions with Iran. The GBU-57, also known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, is the only weapon known to be able to destroy deeply buried nuclear sites like Iran’s Fordow facility, according to AFP.

Israel does not possess this type of weapon.

Experts are monitoring whether the B-2s will be moved to Diego Garcia, a US-British military base in the Indian Ocean, which is considered strategically well-positioned for Middle East operations. B-2s were previously stationed there until last month before being replaced by B-52 bombers.

Meanwhile, Israel claimed Saturday it had killed a senior Iranian commander amid continued airstrikes between the two sides. Iran responded by saying it would not negotiate over its nuclear program while under threat. Israel insists Iran is nearing nuclear weapons capability, while Tehran maintains its program is purely peaceful.

President Donald Trump has indicated he may decide within two weeks whether to involve the US militarily, saying the delay would allow time "to see whether or not people come to their senses."

Earlier this week, Reuters reported a major US military build-up, including a large number of tanker aircraft sent to Europe and fighter jets deployed to the Middle East. Additionally, a US aircraft carrier currently in the Indo-Pacific is en route to the region.