Report: B-1 Bombers Deployed as U.S. Intensifies Iran Strikes
Axios: “Using B-1 bombers, which can carry two dozen 2,000-lb. bombs or dozens of cruise missiles, signaled a significant escalation and expansion of the U.S. military campaign.”
Days after President Donald Trump signaled a possible airstrike against Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain underground nuclear facility, Axios revealed that a U.S. B-1 long-range bomber struck Islamic Guard (IRGC) targets. “The U.S. military used a B-1 long-range bomber on Tuesday to strike Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets in Iran,” the news website reported, quoting officials.
While the U.S. used B-1 bombers, along with B-2s and B-52s, against Iran early in Operation Epic Fury, this may mark their first deployment since the ceasefire collapsed. “It was the first time the U.S. conducted a B-1 mission since fighting with Iran resumed 12 days ago,” Axios added. “Using B-1 bombers, which can carry two dozen 2,000-lb. bombs or dozens of cruise missiles, signaled a significant escalation and expansion of the U.S. military campaign.”
Although the B-1 supersonic bomber cannot destroy Iran’s underground Pickaxe Mountain facility, its deployment signals a growing U.S. resolve to confront Tehran.
The Pickaxe Mountain site, located more than 300 meters under a solid granite mountain, has been described as Iran’s most fortified nuclear installation. Reuters recently observed that the heavily reinforced uranium enrichment facility is “beyond the reach of the most powerful bunker buster bombs in the U.S. arsenal.” This, however, does not mean that it is immune to a massive airstrike.
“The B-1, a long-range supersonic bomber, can carry one of the largest conventional weapons payloads in the U.S. arsenal, including dozens of cruise missiles or tens of tons of bombs,” Israel’s Ynetnews noted. “While it cannot deploy the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bunker-buster bomb carried exclusively by the stealth B-2 Spirit bomber, it can deliver a wide variety of precision-guided munitions against multiple targets in a single mission.”
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced the completion of a twelfth consecutive night of strikes against military targets in Iran, to include maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets across areas of… pic.twitter.com/9TybEdPspz
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 23, 2026
In a statement released late Tuesday, Central Command (CENTCOM) did not mention the deployment of B-1 bombers in its latest round of overnight strikes. “U.S. forces struck Iranian military targets including maritime capabilities, missile and drone storage facilities, coastal surveillance sites, and air defense assets,” CENTCOM continued.
The news comes amid reports that the U.S. was ramping up its military operation against Iran. CENTCOM disclosed that “[m]ore than 50,000 U.S. service members are operating across the Middle East and remain highly vigilant, focused, lethal, and ready.”
I am observing reports of a U.S. strike at the Shalamcheh border crossing between Iraq and Iran. It is significant because the crossing is a key Iran–Iraq transit route. If confirmed, the strike could disrupt personnel movements, and logistics used by Iran-linked groups across… pic.twitter.com/POrqWxWma0
— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) July 23, 2026
The Wall Street Journal reported growing U.S. military presence in the region. “The U.S. is surging forces, medics and weaponry to the Middle East to give President Trump more muscular military options as he considers expanding the conflict against Iran, according to people familiar with the matter,” the business daily wrote late Wednesday. “In the past week, special-operations forces have deployed to the region from their U.S. bases, according to flight-tracking data and U.S. officials. Squadrons of jet fighters have been staged across the Middle East, and bomber aircraft at bases in the U.S. and U.K. are on high alert to ramp up operations, according to one of the officials.”
Trump on Iran: "They're getting hit so hard, and they want to make a deal — but I say they're not ready to make a deal because every time they make a deal they want to change it and everything. They're not ready." pic.twitter.com/MZqmlxTUBN
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) July 22, 2026
Iran-backed Houthis attack two Saudi tankers as they blockade Red Sea Strait
Iranian proxy Houthi terrorist group attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, as they enforce a blockade of the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb. The attack comes a week after reports emerged that Iran had ordered the Yemen-based Houthis to close Bab el-Mandeb, a major maritime chokepoint connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
BREAKING:
Houthi missiles strike Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea near the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
Will Saudi Arabia restart its large campaign of airstrikes against the Houthis. The previous campaign lasted 7 years (2015-2022). pic.twitter.com/MIJpXHQHH6
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) July 22, 2026
France’s Euronews reported:
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis claimed on Thursday they struck two Saudi oil tankers transiting through the Red Sea (…).
The Iran-backed Houthi group wrote on Telegram that it had “carried out a qualitative military operation targeting two Saudi oil tankers that violated the blockade”, naming the vessels as the Encelia and the Layla.
Earlier, the British naval security monitor UKMTO reported that a projectile struck a tanker in the Red Sea off Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
“The master of a tanker reports being struck by an unknown projectile which has caused a fire onboard that the crew are currently fighting,” it wrote in a statement.
With Iran disrupting the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has been diverting its oil and gas exports through the Bab el-Mandeb waterway. According to Reuters, a “significant amount of Gulf oil has since been diverted to the Red Sea through a Saudi pipeline, and the waterway now carries around 7% of global energy supplies.”
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Getting it done.
What a joke. Will we never learn? Bombing didn’t win Vietnam or Iraq or Afghanistan (for us or the Russians before us).
As was easily foreseeable this war is an epic disaster. Iran will not capitulate. They know all they have to do is hang on until the next election here.
More wasted lives and money for nothing. Now we have $100 oil again so inflation will be right behind.
All easily predicted yet Trump broke his vow as the “peace president” to never get us involved in another forever war in the ME. Disgraceful.
So, your idiotic “solution” is total capitulation, deference and obsequious appeasement/dhimmitude, towards genocidal, fanatical, goose-stepping Islamofascist/Muslim terrorist despots.
With your moronic and pessimistic attitude, the Axis powers would have won WWII.
The gullible sheep chime in. Baaaaa.
it is sunni and wahibi that are extremist. speaking of capitulation why are europr and the US not rounding up illegals and deporting them? Iran has been in conflicts but have not invaded any one. Yes there are radicals in Iran. There are radical muslims in almost all nations. they are known. why are they still here? why are they gaining political power? there’s your capitulation.
He and his TEAM have already affected MANY “Peace Deals” ! Some require simple Negotiations but other require a different approach – such as dealing with a rabid dog – it must be destroyed! Nice try though – looks like most disagree with your Soros Nickel comment!
Two bombs ended WW2
Two bombs ended WW2
As has been proven, negotiating with crazy people doesn’t work. I also don’t believe this tit-for-tat, ie. You drop a missile, we drop a missile is going to work.
The time has come to overpower them with everything we’ve got and depose of the regime that’s there now.
Where’s all the help from our supposed allies? Are they so foolish as to they think Iran won’t use a nuclear weapon if they have it?
It will work if we use nuclear weapons.
Dear President Trump,
Please stop talking about Deals with Iran.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
We the People
**THIS**
You mean,
“stop talking about bombing raids before they happen’
This is not good. It shows we have limited time to defeat Iran.
https://defencesecurityasia.com/en/iran-china-russia-satellite-intelligence-defeats-us-patriot-thaad-missile-defense-2026/
With help from Russia and China, Iran is targeting new construction in US bases. Iran is using maneuvering reentry vehicles that are hard to shoot down.
We really ought to sanction Russia and China for their assistance to Iran. We should also move forward selling arms to Taiwan and Ukraine and tell them this was in direct response to their assistance.
And, with China, break off trade. Companies with American street addresses but make everything in China will have to find other places to make their stuff.
Ideally I’d like to break off trade but there are too many things they make that we need right now, I’d also rather kick most chinese out especially H1Bs and students that stop trade.
Let American companies that shipped jobs to China lose lots of money!
Trade with China was supposed to make them more like us, but it made us more like them! Add that to the list of Richard Nixon’s crimes worse than Watergate!
I think the plans are to retire both the B1 and the A10, Both are still being employed and are still useful. I realize ongoing maintenance cost is a factor but it seems premature to retire them especially when there are no replacements. I’m actually surprised they aren’t trying to retire the B-52s,
We should NEVER retire the Warthog! What a devastating killing machine! Imagine the horrors that could be inflicted in Tehran if a pack of Warthogs descended on it! But, as of now the bombs and missiles are doing the job. IF the illustrious IRGC ever emerges from it’s hiding spots then the Warthogs could have a go at them!
it can deliver a wide variety of precision-guided munitions against multiple targets in a single mission
Importantly, it can also carry a goodly load of nuclear weapons. If someone, you know, wanted to really mess with that Pickaxe place.
there is no reason we should be talking about may be taking pickaxe out, They do nuclear work there. It’s not civilian because if it was there would be no reason for it to be 100 meters or more deep in a mountain.
TAKE IT OUT ALREADY!!!
Take out the roads going to it, the electric infrastructure and everry single access tunnel
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