US flies bomber over Middle East in show of force to Iran
A US Air Force bomber escorted by fighter jets from allies including Israel has flown over key waterways in the Middle East where American and Iranian naval vessels have faced off
Nov.1, 2021
photo: © Peter REFT
The B-1B Lancer passed over the Gulf, Bab al-Mandeb Strait, Suez Canal and Gulf of Oman, the US Central Command, or Centcom, said in a statement Saturday.
It also flew over the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for a fifth of world oil output at the head of the Gulf that Iran considers a strategic area of influence.
“The bomber task force mission… was intended to deliver a clear message of reassurance,” Centcom said.
Fighter jets from Israel, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, all US allies opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran, escorted the US bomber over their respective airspaces.
“Military readiness for any contingency or mission –- from crisis response to multilateral exercises to one-day presence patrols like this –- depend on reliable partnerships,” said Centcom commander General Frank McKenzie, the head of US forces in the Middle East.
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