“The B-2 is capable of carrying the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a bomb designed to destroy deeply buried targets.”
WASHINGTON – The United States is relocating B-2 stealth bombers to the Pacific island of Guam, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Saturday, as President Donald Trump deliberates on whether to involve the U.S. in Israel’s ongoing strikes against Iran.
It remains unclear whether the bomber movement is directly linked to the escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The B-2 bomber is capable of carrying the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator — a bunker-busting weapon designed to destroy fortified underground targets. Defense analysts suggest it could be used to strike key Iranian nuclear sites, including the deeply buried Fordow facility.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, declined to provide additional details. One noted that no orders have yet been issued to deploy the bombers beyond Guam. The number of aircraft involved was also not disclosed.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Military analysts and officials are monitoring closely to see if the B-2s will be sent to Diego Garcia, a U.S.-British military base in the Indian Ocean strategically positioned for operations in the Middle East. Until recently, B-2 bombers had been stationed at Diego Garcia before being replaced by B-52s last month.
Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify. On Saturday, Israel reported killing a senior Iranian commander during recent cross-border attacks. Tehran, however, stated it will not enter negotiations over its nuclear program while under threat, maintaining that its activities are purely peaceful — a claim Israel disputes, asserting Iran is nearing the capability to produce nuclear weapons.
President Trump has said he will take up to two weeks to decide whether the U.S. will join the conflict alongside Israel, stating he wants “to see whether or not people come to their senses.”
Reuters was also first to report earlier this week on the movement of a significant number of U.S. tanker aircraft to Europe, along with other military reinforcements to the Middle East, including additional fighter jet deployments. A U.S. aircraft carrier currently in the Indo-Pacific is also en route to the region.