The United States flew B-52 bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, the second time in a month.
The planes, which made a round-trip flight from an Air Force base in North Dakota, “made a deliberate appearance in the Middle East today to underscore the US military’s commitment to regional security and demonstrate a unique ability to rapidly deploy overwhelming combat power on short notice,” the US Central Command said in a statement. The deployment “also delivers a clear deterrent message to anyone who intends to do harm to Americans or American interests,” the statement said.
The United States reportedly remains concerned that Iran will launch an attack on US interests in the Gulf, such as rocket attacks against US troops and bases in Iraq, to mark the one-year anniversary of the killing of Iranian military commander Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
The US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone came under rocket fire earlier this month, which the US has blamed on Iran-backed militias.