US sends more B-52 bombers to Gulf region in warning to Iran

Central Command Genl Kenneth McKenzie says bombers are to deter Iran from attacks in ‘period of heightened risk’

The US flew two more B-52 bombers to the Middle East, a US defence official told The National on Wednesday.

The warplanes left North Dakota on Tuesday on a mission to fly over the Gulf region and to deter Iran, Fox News reported.

The goal is to “make clear that we are ready and able to respond to any aggression directed at Americans or our interests", said the head of US Central Command, Gen Kenneth McKenzie.

It is the third time the US has sent B-52s to the region in 45 days.

Gen McKenzie told ABC last week that while Iran might not seek war with the US, the environment is one of escalation.

“I do believe we remain in a period of heightened risk," he said.

"We’re not looking to escalate ourselves. We’re not looking for war with Iran. I really want to emphasise that."

Gen McKenzie said the US did not “seek conflict, but no one should underestimate our ability to defend our forces or to act decisively in response to any attack”.

Last week, US President Donald Trump warned Iran against any attacks that would cost American lives.

"If one American is killed, I will hold Iran responsible. Think it over,” Mr Trump wrote on Twitter.

The US Central Command said the two bombers “made a deliberate appearance in the Middle East [on Wednesday] 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 two-ship deployment also delivers a clear deterrent message to anyone who intends to do harm to Americans or American interests."

Ryan Bohl, a Middle East and North Africa analyst at the US intelligence company Stratfor, said the presence of the bombers was largely symbolic.

“The B-52s are all about symbolism, the threat of retaliation should Iranian proxies attack,” Mr Bohl said.

He said the bombers were designed for “flying far above the ground and for carpet bombings and nuclear war”.

While this is “not the most suitable means to deter asymmetric behaviour, they are emblematic of the over-the-top retaliation the Trump White House has occasionally engaged in with Iran", Mr Bohl said.

“Donald Trump is willing to overreact to Iranian behaviour, as he demonstrated last year."

He was referring to the drone strike on January 3 that killed Iran's Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani in Baghdad.