FLASH
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Four US B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers are currently stationed at the Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, according to an AFP analysis of satellite images. The development comes on the fifth day of the Israel-Iran standoff and has been interpreted as a silent but clear warning to the Iranian regime.
Diego Garcia, one of the most important US military bases in the Indo-Pacific region, has previously served as a launching pad for strategic operations during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But this time, its importance is manifold: The B-52H is among the only aircraft in the world that can carry the GBU-57 “Massive Ordnance Penetrator” bomb, the only known weapon that can penetrate underground structures like the Fordow nuclear bunker in Iran.
Images taken by Planet Labs show the bombers, which arrived in mid-May, stationed on the southern side of the runway. They are joined by a C-17 Globemaster III troop transport and six KC-135 refueling aircraft — a formation that signals readiness for long, coordinated missions.
The Pentagon has confirmed that it is sending "additional capabilities" to the Middle East, while the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz has canceled a visit to Vietnam and headed for the Indian Ocean, further strengthening the American military presence in the region.
The deployment of B-52s to Diego Garcia is a clear signal that the US is ready to take strategic strikes if diplomacy fails and if Iran decides to go beyond the established red lines.
At a time when Fordow remains untouchable by the Israeli arsenal, only one vehicle – the GBU-57 – can carry out the mission. And only aircraft like the B-52 and B-2 are capable of carrying it. Putting these vehicles on the military radar is a move that speaks louder than any diplomatic statement. And the message to Tehran is clear: time for maneuvering is running out.
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