Israel, Jordan, Saudi join US bombers in show of force to Iran

Two US Air Force B-1B bombers dropped munitions at target ranges in Jordan and Saudi Arabia before returning to Europe in the Pentagon’s latest regional exercise aimed at deterring Iran.

Combat aircraft from Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia took part in a display of force alongside US nuclear-capable B1 bombers over the Middle East on Thursday in the Pentagon’s latest demonstration to Iran.

Aircraft from five Middle Eastern militaries linked up with a pair of US Air Force B1-B Lancers at various stages as they transited the Persian Gulf region after taking off from the UK, US military officials said.

The demonstration culminated with the American bombers dropping live munitions at training ranges in Saudi Arabia and Jordan before flying back to base in Spain. The B-1Bs dropped air-launched AGM-158A JASSM cruise missiles and 550-pound GBU-38 bombs on “multiple simulated targets” during the exercise, a defense official told Al-Monitor.

The Pentagon is withholding the identity of two of the Middle Eastern countries that took part in the exercise at their request, officials said.

Why it matters: The US has periodically sent nuclear-capable bomber task force missions over the Middle East in recent years in a bid to deter attacks by Iran, which US officials say continues to seek to expel American forces from the region.

Arab and Israeli pilots have flown alongside US strategic bombers in recent years since additional Arab governments – so far the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco – have begun establishing formal ties with Israel.

But dropping various types of live munitions on simulated targets in multiple countries marks a new step, the deputy commander of US Air Force units in the Middle East, Maj. Gen. Mark Slocum, told Al-Monitor.

“These missions demonstrate the credibility of our forces to address a global security environment that is more diverse and uncertain than at any other time in our history, and that’s significant,” Slocum said.

“The timing of this is meant to demonstrate we as a team can deliver overwhelming combat power at a moment’s notice,” the general added.

The show of force comes as top US diplomat Antony Blinken visited Saudi Arabia amid Washington’s push for the kingdom to normalize ties with Israel.

The Biden administration has struggled to dispel concerns among Arab leaders that Washington has been abandoning its defense commitments in the region as the Pentagon diverts military forces to deter Russia and China. Blinken led a US delegation in meetings with ministers from Gulf Cooperation Council countries in Jeddah on Thursday.

“These bomber missions represent the US’s commitment to our partners and showcase our ability to deliver overwhelming power at a moment’s notice,” the top commander of US Air Force units in the Middle East, Lt. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said in a statement.

“Together, we are operationalizing concepts designed to make us more agile in our execution, more strategic in our deterrence, and more resilient in our capability,” Grynkewich said.

In January, US B-52 bombers escorted by Israeli fighter jets dropped live bombs on mock targets in Israel’s Negev Desert during a long-range strategic air exercise which former senior US officials described to Al-Monitor as indicative of the Pentagon’s tactics to potentially knock out Iran’s nuclear sites.

Senior military officials under the Biden administration have said they hope to include other militaries in the Middle East in similar air exercises, but there remains reluctance among top officials the region to being seen as part of a US- and Israeli-led bloc oriented against Iran.

Know more: The bomber overflight comes as military forces from the US and Gulf Cooperation Council countries are participating in a two-week series of exercises to integrate air and missile defense cooperation.

American defense officials have made strides in convincing Arab counterparts to share air defense data and partake in maritime security patrols in a bid to thwart Iran’s attacks. But trust remains low between some countries in the Gulf region, inhibiting cooperation which Pentagon officials say is necessary.

The commander of all US forces in the Middle East, US Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, discussed ways forward on multinational military cooperation with top regional defense chiefs in Saudi Arabia, Israel, the UAE, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan during a two-week tour of the region last month.

Kurilla also met with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani during stops in those countries.

What’s next: The US and GCC plan to hold working group meetings on integrated air and missile defense and maritime security later this year, according to a State Department readout of today’s meeting in Jeddah.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated since publication to include additional quotations.