THE US flew two B-52H bombers to the Middle East to warn Iran against aggression during the transition between Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
The US military flew two B-52H bombers from Louisiana to the Middle East on Thursday, however, the aircraft that flew through the region did not drop any bombs.
The bomber mission comes as the US military believes there is a heightened chance for Iranian actions or miscalculations, a senior US military official with knowledge of the region told NBC.
According to the official, the risk of miscalculation by the Iranians is “higher than normal right now” because of a number of factors.
Those factors being the US pulling troops out of the region, the transition of power in the US, US being distracted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the anniversary of the US killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.
“It’s higher than normal right now, it doesn’t mean that they’re going to do something,” the official told the outlet.
“But, you know, we want to ensure that if they are contemplating some sort of aggressive act, that they would think twice about it before they did.
“Our approach right now is we recognize that there are some potentialities for Iranian miscalculations with respect to how they might behave towards the United States,” the official added.
In November, President Donald Trump sent B-52 nuclear-capable bombers to the Middle East in an attempt to warn Iran.
The US and Iran have seen relations plunge to new lows under the Trump administration following a string of clashes.
The president has reportedly been mulling whether he should attack Iran before Biden takes over as president in January.
In September, Iran unveiled its latest naval ballistic missile, which doubles its military strike range and is capable of destroying US bases in the Gulf.
State-backed Press TV published the video showing the third generation Zolfaqar-e Basir rocket – which according to reports – can travel 434 miles.
The US, which has accused Iran of exporting terrorism across the Middle East, has a number of military bases in the region including in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE.
And because the Persian Gulf is up to 210 miles wide, the new Iranian rocket could destroy targets from anywhere in the area.
Commander Major General Hossein Salami, head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, said the weapon was developed despite the crippling economic sanctions imposed by President Trump.
He said: “The war underway today is one of willpower.
“The Iranian nation continues down this path with conviction by clearly recognising its way forward.”
He said Iran was fully prepared for war with the Unites States adding Tehran had used the sanctions as “an opportunity for expeditious advancement in the defensive areas.”
The US senior military official warned that Iran and Iranian proxies are always planning attacks.
“We’re certainly aware of a number of different things that they are planning here and there. Some of them are closer to execution and more realistic than others. Some are more aspirational,” the official told NBC.
The official also warned that proxy groups could act against US forces in the region, including in Iraq.
The sun (USA)
