The US military said on Monday that two US B-52 bombers flew a mission over the Middle East, a move that came amid heightened tensions in the region and while the US is holding EU-mediated nuclear deal negotiations with Iran. The bombers departed from the Royal Air Force base in Fairford, England.
The US military didn’t mention Iran in a statement on the mission, but the US frequently dispatches bombers to the region during nuclear negotiations or amid soaring tensions with Iran. The statement said that the bombers flew over the Mediterranean, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Red Sea and were joined by warplanes from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait before leaving the Middle East.
According to the Israeli military, the US bombers were escorted by three Israeli F-16s while they flew through Israeli airspace toward the Persian Gulf. “The flight was held as part of close cooperation with the US military, which represents a significant element in ensuring the security of the State of Israel’s airspace and the Middle East,” the Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement.
The flight came as Israel is pressing the US to establish a credible military threat against Iran to get Tehran to make concessions in the nuclear deal negotiations. Israel is strongly opposed to a revival of the deal, known as the JCPOA, and has stepped up pressure to influence the Biden administration on the issue.
Israel frequently carries out covert attacks inside Iran and has been threatening to launch more overt operations against the Islamic Republic. According to the US ambassador to Israel, President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in a phone call last week that the US wouldn’t “tie Israel’s hands” to prevent it from attacking Iran.
It’s actually sad to see how out of touch and far behind the U.S. is in cutting edge military technology and hardware. Flying those slow old hulks in these hypersonic times is a reminder how hubris blinds it’s victims to reality. The 52s are sitting ducks for advanced air defences and would quickly secumb in combat with cutting edge air defence systems.
Very true. But this is all for show. Sign on the dotted line or else … what? We’re going to actually attack a country of 80 million because they didn’t agree to a deal? Moronic.
Mv, my former fiancé worked on those during the Vietnam war!
Not only B52s but its fighter jet escorts are sitting ducks as well because they fly at the same speed…! So if I was Iran I would shut down the jets first…!
Now why on earth would Iran even think about rejoining the JCPOA? In between “negotiations”, nothing but more threats and provocations. And with the little yapping dog nipping at our heels urging us on to do war.
That dog is rabid as well, Wars.
Time to shoot it.
In a metaphorical kind of way. No $4 billion for starters.
Hi Gypsy:
Are you being literal? Or figurative?…
I’m all in favor of starving it. No weapons, no war.
Both, Donna 😉
No starving. Let’s call it a “maximum pressure campaign” instead. Seems that is acceptable to our jingoistic population.
Iran does not want to, unless on its terms, meaning the return to status quo ante. Which in practice neans remove all economic sanctions imposed after JCPOA cancellation and clising the file on the bizzare IAEA report.
Sunce US does not want to return to JCPOA without the murkuness of “issues”, it is no deal.
Iran knows it. The only thing Iran is probing for is the level of European energy dispair, and the level of US sadistic pleasure in pushing Europe down the road of self-harm.
And the only — very, very slim — option that US will do anything.
All the parade with B-52 will not fix essential problem: US has lost Gulf. For all the silly parading, Saudi Arabia would not participate in any action against Iran. Saudi Arabia has tightened its relationship with Russia and China, and is on its way to finalize its acceptance into SCO. Along with Egypt and Qatar,
US is trying to stop the ship that has already sailed long time ago.
As for Iran, there are still many who believe that Iran is waitiing with the baited breath its return to West embrace. Iran has had decades to reorient its economy to Asia and elsewhere. In the last 12 months it signed a 20 year agreement with Russia and 25 year agreement with China.
Right on Bianca. That horse has already left the barn. When Amerikkka closes that barn door, they’ll find out that horse is gone like a freight train.
One man’s “show of force” is another man’s “provocation.” Depends on who’s doing it.
Very true.
Bye-Done is another spoke in the wheel of the MIC. So, what happens if the Israelis attack Iran?…
We’ll join them is what will happen, Donna
Israel won’t risk its pilots attacking Iran, rather they want US to attack Iran by attaching US forces in middle East as false flag and blame it on Iran…! Remember USS Liberty…?!
Waste of jet fuel and taxpayer’s money…!
I didn’t vote for Democrats to start wars on three continents and 2 nuclear powers, or spill blood for another countries interest. VOTE THEM OUT.
The RetardiQAns will be the same…!
Vote them out too!
In that case No one would be left to vote and that’s the huge problem with US so called Democracy. US has always been a 2-choice system…!
Maybe if we all stayed home and voted for no one…
2 naked staggering drunk men lookimg for a third person who would join their clusterfuck.