U.S. Uses B-1 Bomber in Iran Strikes for the First Time Since Fighting Resumed

The U.S. military this week, for the first time since the fighting with Iran resumed, deployed the long-range strategic B-1 bomber as part of strikes on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets, according to senior American officials. According to a report on the Axios website, the bomber took off from a base in Britain and was also tracked on flight-monitoring websites, but despite taking part in the operation, it was not mentioned in statements released by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) after the strike was completed.

The B-1 bomber can carry dozens of tons of bombs or dozens of cruise missiles and fly at speeds faster than sound. Axios described its use itself as a "significant escalation," even though it was not disclosed which targets were struck with it. According to the report, this is an aircraft that has already been used many times during the war, but this is the first time it has been used since the confrontation with Iran was renewed.

Overnight, it was reported that one of the targets struck by the U.S. was the Shalamcheh border crossing area, between Iran and Iraq. The crossing is located about 50 kilometers from the Iraq-Kuwait border — a country Iran has placed in its sights since the fighting broke out. In Tehran in recent days, voices have been heard warning that Iran may also use ground forces against Kuwait.

According to reports in Iran, American missiles hit a rest area used by the Iranian border guard at the Shalamcheh crossing. According to those same reports, two people were killed in the strike. Another target that was hit, according to Iranian reports, was the Andimeshk area, located about 80 kilometers from the border with Iraq.

As the U.S. expands the scope of its strikes, President Donald Trump continues to weigh the possibility of returning to a full-scale war against Iran. American and Israeli officials estimate that such a move could happen within days. Even so, despite the American escalation, the Iranian regime does not appear to be changing its position regarding the Strait of Hormuz and continues to attack American bases in the region.

Yesterday, Trump sharpened his message toward Tehran and threatened to bomb bridges and power stations, including in the capital, if Iran continues attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, for its part, responded with its own threat and warned that it would strike infrastructure in Gulf states considered allies of the U.S.

The Houthi rebels claimed overnight that they attacked Saudi oil tankers that had "violated the naval blockade" they imposed on Riyadh. Saudi Arabia's state news agency reported that a Saudi-owned vessel named ENCELIA was attacked in the Red Sea. In doing so, it effectively confirmed the Houthis' claim. According to the report, a fire broke out in the front section of the ship following the attack, but all crew members were rescued safely and were not harmed.

At the same time, the U.S. is continuing to reinforce its posture in the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Washington is sending additional forces, medical teams, and weapons to the region in order to give Trump broader military options if he decides to expand the fighting. According to American sources and flight-tracking data, "special operations" forces were also deployed to the area over the past week, alongside fighter squadrons stationed across the Middle East. In addition, bombers at bases in the U.S. and Britain were placed on high alert, and some of the sources said that additional long-range bombers are also preparing for the possibility of wider operations.