The United States has begun flying B-52 Stratofortress bombers over Iran for the first time since the start of Operation Epic Fury, marking a major escalation in the air campaign.
Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine announced Tuesday that U.S. forces now have enough control of the skies to deploy the long-range heavy bombers over Iranian territory.
“Given the increase in air superiority, we’ve successfully started to conduct the first overland B-52 missions,” Caine said, signaling a shift in operational confidence.
General Dan Caine: U.S. forces are “systematically” dismantling Iran’s ability to project power beyond its borders.
Caine says joint operations across air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace are intensifying, with dynamic targeting and expanded B-52 missions now underway.
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The move suggests that Iranian air defenses and aerial capabilities have been significantly degraded, allowing slower, less stealthy aircraft to operate in contested airspace.
Until now, U.S. strikes inside Iran have relied heavily on stealth and speed — including deployments of advanced bombers like the B-2 and B-1 — to avoid detection and minimize risk.
The introduction of the B-52, a decades-old but highly effective heavy bomber, indicates the battlefield environment has changed.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth appeared alongside Caine at the Pentagon briefing, reinforcing the administration’s message that U.S. and Israeli operations have achieved a new level of dominance in the air.
B-52 missions are typically used for sustained bombardment and large-scale strike capacity, meaning their presence could signal a transition to broader, more persistent targeting operations.
'AIR SUPERIORITY': Pentagon officials say expanded control of the airspace has allowed the U.S. to deploy long-range B-52 bombers over Iran, signaling a shift in strategy. pic.twitter.com/BtVuaurwpJ
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