The United States has deployed B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to the Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, a move reportedly linked to preparations for a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
Axios confirmed the deployment, citing a U.S. official who said the action was “not disconnected” from President Donald Trump’s two-month deadline for Iran to agree to a new nuclear deal.
The warning, reportedly issued in a direct letter to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, included proposals for renewed negotiations and a threat of consequences if Tehran continues expanding its nuclear program.
The B-2s, which can carry the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator—commonly known as a “bunker buster”—are capable of targeting hardened underground facilities, including Iran’s key nuclear sites. According to the report, at least three B-2s have arrived at the strategic base, along with supporting aerial refueling tankers.
A spokesperson for U.S. Strategic Command confirmed the bomber presence, stating that Stratcom “routinely conducts global operations in coordination with other combatant commands, services, and participating U.S. government agencies to deter, detect and, if necessary, defeat strategic attacks against the United States and its allies.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has sent a formal written response to the Trump administration’s proposal. Speaking at a press conference, Araghchi ruled out direct talks with Washington under current conditions but left the door open for indirect negotiations via intermediaries.
“We remain committed to our position,” Araghchi stated, “but are open to dialogue through appropriate diplomatic channels.”
The Omani government has reportedly informed U.S. officials of Iran’s reply and plans to deliver it to the White House in the coming days.
The deployment and diplomatic exchanges come at a time of elevated tensions. Intelligence assessments suggest Iran is nearing a technical threshold for developing a nuclear weapon. Military analysts note that any strike against Iran’s widely dispersed and fortified nuclear sites would require highly coordinated, long-range precision strikes—missions well suited for the B-2 fleet.