Yemen Monitor/ Agencies/ Washington (Reuters):
U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday that the U.S. military is replacing its B-2 bombers with another type of bomber at a base in the Indo-Pacific region, which had served as a strategic location for operations in the Middle East.
The Pentagon deployed up to six B-2 bombers in March to a joint U.S.-British military base on Diego Garcia Island in the Indian Ocean, amid a US bombing campaign targeting Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen and rising tensions with Iran.
Experts say that B-2 bombers—equipped with radar-evading stealth technology and capable of carrying the heaviest U.S. bombs and nuclear weapons—are well-positioned for operations in the Middle East.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the B-2s are being replaced with B-52 bombers.
The Pentagon stated that its policy does not allow for comment on changes in force posture.
On Sunday, a new round of talks concluded between Iranian and US negotiators aimed at resolving disputes over Tehran’s nuclear program, with plans for further negotiations underway.
The fourth round of talks came ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit to the Middle East. Trump, who has threatened military action against Iran if diplomatic efforts fail, resumed the “maximum pressure” campaign on Tehran following his return to the White House in January.
Iranian officials said Tehran is willing to negotiate certain restrictions on its nuclear activities in exchange for lifting sanctions, but ending uranium enrichment or surrendering its stockpile of enriched uranium are among what officials described as Iran’s “red lines” that cannot be crossed in the talks.
Additionally, Trump announced last week that an agreement had been reached to halt the bombing of the Houthis in Yemen. The B-2 bombers had been used in strikes against the Iran-aligned group.
