▲ F-35 fighter jet
As U.S. President Donald Trump considers options to expand the war with Iran, the U.S. military is redeploying long-range strategic B-1 bombers for operations while massively reinforcing fighter jets, special operations forces, and missiles in the Middle East.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 22nd (local time), citing multiple sources, that special operations forces stationed at mainland U.S. bases have moved to the Middle East over the past week, and fighter squadrons have been forward-deployed to various locations across the region.
The U.S. has reportedly deployed F-16 fighter jets from Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany, F-35 fighter jets from RAF Lakenheath in the U.K., and aerial refueling tankers to the Middle East.
It is observed that these forces are likely to be stationed in Jordan and Israel.
According to the U.S. internet media outlet Axios, the U.S. mobilized long-range strategic B-1 bombers on this day to strike targets belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
This is the first time B-1 bombers have been deployed since the armed conflict with Iran recently resumed.
This is interpreted as a signal that the U.S. is further intensifying and expanding the scope of its military operations against Iran.
Bombers at U.S. and British bases are maintaining a high state of alert in preparation for expanded operations.
Alongside this, more than 150 medical personnel have recently been additionally deployed to the medical center in Landstuhl, Germany.
This hospital is a core medical facility treating U.S. service members wounded in the Middle East.
This force reinforcement comes after a U.S. military base in Jordan was recently attacked by Iran, resulting in the deaths of three U.S. service members, followed by the death of another U.S. service member in Iraq while dealing with an unexploded Iranian drone.
President Trump previously warned, "Every time Iran kills an American service member, they will pay a multiple of that price."
Retired General Joseph Votel, a former commander of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, explained, "A force buildup itself does not necessarily lead to a large-scale military operation. The key is to provide the president and the secretary of defense with maximum flexibility and a variety of options."
The U.S. military is continuing airstrikes for the 12th consecutive day against Iran, which has been attacking ships while claiming control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has also been striking U.S. military bases in the Middle East, leading to a repeated pattern of retaliation and counter-retaliation.
President Trump also warned that he would strike Mount Goggak, suspected of housing Iran's underground nuclear facilities, "very strongly in the near future."
He also expressed his will, stating, "If that happens, we will handle it," after the Iran-backed Houthi militant group in Yemen declared a blockade of the Red Sea against Saudi Arabia.
Tensions are rising as oil tankers have indeed been attacked in Red Sea waters, with the Houthi rebels claiming responsibility.
Ultimately, this force reinforcement appears to have an aspect aimed at the Houthi rebels, who have begun escalating provocations in the Red Sea.
Tens of thousands of U.S. troops are already stationed in the Middle East.
The U.S. Navy is operating a total of 17 vessels in the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers.
A total of 18 U.S. service members have lost their lives in this war, which began on February 28.
Dana Stroul, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East during the Joe Biden administration, pointed out, "Whenever the Trump administration has increased military forces, it has used them in actual military actions. The current dilemma is that as long as the Iranian regime remains, there is no military solution."
Observations are also being raised that while the U.S. military is significantly strengthening its air power, the possibility of transitioning to a ground war still appears small.
The U.S. Navy's USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit completed their six-month mission on the 22nd in the operational areas of the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleets, including the Middle East, and returned to the naval base in Okinawa, Japan.
They played a core role in the maritime blockade of Iran last April.
In particular, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit had been cited as a core force that could be mobilized if the U.S. launches ground attacks on the Iranian mainland or Iranian islands within the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
With their withdrawal, approximately 2,200 Marines from the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit remain in the Middle East to support the blockade mission against Iran and prepare for contingency ground operations.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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