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UPDATE 3:39 PM PDT: CENTCOM confirms US will deploy 12 B-52 bombers to CENTCOM region

According to the Associated Press, citing a US defense official, the US is deploying B-52 bombers, aerial refuelers, and Navy destroyers to the Middle East.

What’s the deal: According to the source, the deployment is intended to fill a gap that will be left as the USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group prepare to depart. In response, the US is positioning additional bombers, tankers, and Navy destroyers equipped to intercept ballistic missiles. Notably, the report from AP comes as the US Air Force confirmed a Bomber Task Force deployment to Europe (a staging ground often used for specialized aircraft that could operate in the Middle East), though the exact destination of the bombers remains unconfirmed.

Getting into it:Currently, the USS Abraham Lincoln is stationed in the Gulf of Oman and is set to leave the Middle East by mid-month. The USS Harry S. Truman and its strike group are intended as a longer-term replacement but will first participate in a NATO exercise in the North Sea. During this exercise, bombers and additional assets will be deployed to cover the region.

This development comes as the US has warned that it will protect Israel against any aggression, following Iran’s vow to respond to Israel’s recent strikes on Iranian territory. Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said, “The recent action of the Zionist regime in attacking parts of our country was a desperate move, and the Islamic Republic of Iran will give it a harsh and regretful response.”

According to Axios, citing US intelligence officials, Iran’s response could come before the US presidential election.