US bombers conduct 1st patrol this year across Middle East

Regional and coalition air forces last week joined a US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress and two US Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornets on a presence patrol mission across the US Central Command area of responsibility (AOR).

The bomber on February 14 began its flight from Royal Air Force Fairford in England, and flew over the East Mediterranean, Arabian Peninsula and Red Sea before departing the Middle East, US Air Forces Central (AFCENT) said in a statement.

"Today's B-52-led demonstration of joint, coalition and partner nation combat airpower was a powerful projection of our combined strength across the Middle East," said Lt. Gen. Greg Guillot, 9th Air Force commander.

"By originating outside the CENTCOM AOR, the mission also exemplified the US Air Force's ability to deliver combat airpower seamlessly across multiple combatant commands," Guillot said.

Israel Defence Forces (IDF) F-15's were among the aircraft from regional partners that joined the flight.

"The joint flight shows our close co-operation with the @usairforce and the importance of maintaining Israel's security & stability in the Middle East," the IDF said on Twitter.

The mission was the first presence patrol of 2022.

AFCENT facilitated six bomber task force missions throughout 2021 as a demonstration of the US-led coalition's commitment to promoting regional stability, the AFCENT statement said.

Of those, four involved B-52 bombers, with three missions over the Middle East in January and one in March.

The Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can perform a variety of missions, including strategic attack, close-air support, air interdiction, offensive counter-air and maritime operations, according to the Air Force.

The bomber can fly at high subsonic speeds at altitudes reaching 15,240m and has an unrefueled combat range in excess of 14,100 km.

It can carry precision guided ordnance with worldwide precision navigation, including the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), a low observable standoff air-launched cruise missile built by Lockheed Martin.

The last bomber-led mission across the Central Region involved two B-1B Lancers on November 11.

The B-1B is a supersonic bomber that can carry the heaviest conventional payload of all the US military's planes.

It is able to fly long distances to reach targets and has the ability to fire long-range missiles.

Regional tensions

The recent mission comes amid "complicated and difficult" talks in Vienna to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which offered sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear programme.

Despite the talks, the Iranian regime has been showing off its alleged missile developments.

On February 9, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the development of a surface-to-surface missile with a stated range of 1,450 km -- a range that would put Israel within reach.

The IRGC's Sepahnews website said the missile, named the Khaybarchekan, "runs on solid fuel and is capable of penetrating anti-missile systems".

World powers taking part in the nuclear deal negotiations have repeatedly said they need to be convinced of Iran's cutback on ballistic missiles. But at present, Iran has the largest arsenal of missiles in the Middle East, AFP reported.

Iran has also been accused of orchestrating attacks and smuggling operations in the region.

Sixteen people including foreigners were injured in Saudi Arabia when the kingdom destroyed a drone launched against King Abdullah Airport in Jazan by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, the Saudi-led coalition said Monday (February 21).

It is the second airport attack in less than two weeks blamed on, or claimed by, the Houthis.

The militia targeted the UAE three times last month with drones and missiles, killing three foreign workers in the first attack on January 17.

Earlier in the month, the Houthis seized a UAE-flagged ship in the Red Sea, saying it was carrying weapons -- a claim denied by the Emirates.

The Houthis have been engaged in a ferocious assault on Marib, the Yemeni government's last northern stronghold.

In November, they took control of a large area south of al-Hodeidah port.

The United Nations and United States have been stressing the urgency of peace talks in order to end the Yemen conflict, the death toll from which reached an estimated 377,000 at the end of 2021.