The United States has dispatched B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to Guam, amid heightened military tensions between Iran and Israel, according to reports cited by the Ney York Times and Israeli broadcaster KAN.
The deployment of these long-range strike aircraft comes as the Iran-Israel conflict intensifies, with missile attacks targeting both military and civilian areas over the past week. The move signals growing concern within the White House, with President Donald Trump reportedly weighing a decision on whether the US will join its ally Israel in the ongoing conflict.
The strategic dispatch gains significance in light of Israel’s attacks on several Iranian nuclear facilities. However, Iran’s Fordow underground nuclear site, located near Tehran and heavily fortified, remains beyond the reach of conventional Israeli weapons. The only known munition capable of destroying it is the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator — a bunker-buster bomb weighing over 13,000 kg — which can be deployed only by the B-2 bomber.
The B-2 Spirit, regarded as one of the most advanced assets in the US Air Force, is equipped with stealth capabilities and GPS-guided precision strike systems. It can evade enemy radar and penetrate deep into heavily defended territory to strike high-value, fortified targets.
Reports also mention that the bombers are accompanied by four KC-46 Pegasus aerial refuelling aircraft, two of which have already performed mid-air refuelling over the Pacific. Another pair of tankers has departed from north of San Francisco and is expected to stop in Hawaii for refuelling before joining the mission.
This development comes amid growing international concern over the possibility of a broader regional conflict, especially if the United States directly enters the fray.
The Fordow site is considered one of Iran’s most protected nuclear facilities. While Israel has previously targeted locations like Natanz, Fordow’s underground construction demands advanced bunker-busting capabilities that only the US military currently possesses.