Why Are B-2 Stealth Bombers Being Deployed To Guam, And What Could Come Next?

As nan warfare betwixt Iran and Israel continues, Fox News confirmed earlier reports that B-2 stealth bombers took disconnected from Whiteman Air Force Base successful Missouri and headed to Guam. 

A Reuters report, quoting 1 U.S. official, said nary bid was fixed to move nan planes beyond Guam. Reuters said it wasn't clear if nan deployment was linked to nan rising tensions successful nan Middle East. 

The UK Defense Journal reports nan stealth bombers were accompanied by 8 KC-135 Stratotankers, which would let for midair refueling. The diary suggests nan bombers’ eventual destination whitethorn beryllium Diego Garcia, a U.S. guidelines successful nan Indian Ocean.

USAF GENERAL TALKS ‘REMARKABLE’ AIRCRAFT NEEDED IF 30,000 LB BOMB WERE TO BE DROPPED ON IRAN NUKE SITE

A representation shows nan region from Whiteman AFB to Iran. (Fox News)

Here’s what to cognize astir nan way that nan B-2s mightiness take, nan domiciled Diego Garcia has played amid escalating tensions pinch Iran and why nan B-2s are captious to a imaginable ngo astatine nan well-fortified Iranian atomic tract astatine Fordow.

What is nan B-2s’ apt destination?

Retired Navy Cdr. Jim "Puck" Howe told Fox News Digital nan stealth bombers "can easy make it" to Guam successful a azygous formation pinch 1 mid-air refueling. Howe said nan Stratotankers’ substance capacities are improbable to support nan B-2s aloft if their eventual destination is nan "significantly farther" island guidelines of Diego Garcia. 

US TROOPS IN THE MIDDLE EAST COULD FACE INCREASED THREAT AMID IRAN CONFLICT: ‘IRREPARABLE DAMAGE’

A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit, deployed from nan 131st Bomb Wing, Missouri Air National Guard, takes disconnected from Andersen Air Base Guam aft completing a basking pit refuel Sept. 10, 2024.  (U.S. Air Force photograph by Tech. Sgt. Eric Summers Jr.)

Howe says that while nan U.S. "could onslaught [Fordow] from Guam," it "makes a batch much sense" to motorboat an onslaught from Diego Garcia owed to its proximity to Iran.

What is Diego Garcia?

Diego Garcia is simply a guidelines 2,400 miles southbound of Iran. Its strategical worth lies successful its deep-water port, a agelong runway that is "capable of accommodating dense bombers and precocious outer connection systems," Aero-News Journal reports.

HOW BUNKER BUSTERS WORK AND HOW THEY COULD DESTROY IRAN’S FORDOW NUCLEAR SITE

A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber takes disconnected from Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia to support a bomber task unit ngo Aug. 17, 2020. (U.S. Air Force photograph by Tech. Sgt. Heather Salazar)

The U.S. has utilized nan guidelines erstwhile managing threats from Iran successful nan past. Two B-2s were deployed to Diego Garcia successful March. The Islamic Republic of Iran threatened to attack nan U.S. guidelines successful April. 

It is unclear whether immoderate Iranian ballistic missiles are capable of reaching Diego Garcia. U.S. troops crossed nan Middle East are said to look accrued consequence of onslaught should nan U.S. participate nan conflict.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

An Airman assigned to nan 393rd Bomber Generation Squadron marshals successful a B-2 Spirit astatine Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., May 9, 2025.  (U.S. Air Force photograph by Senior Airman Bryson Sherard)

Why are B-2s captious successful nan existent conflict?

Each stealth bomber is tin of carrying 2 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators, which are believed to beryllium nan astir effective intends of destroying nan Iranian atomic tract astatine Fordow, which whitethorn beryllium dug successful betwixt 300 feet and 2,600 feet beneath a rocky mountain.

Mark Dubowitz, CEO of nan Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital "destroying [Fordow] from nan aerial is simply a occupation only nan U.S. tin do." 

Reuters contributed to this report.