The United States has been seen loading powerful bombs onto B-1 bombers at a Royal Air Force base in the United Kingdom, suggesting preparations for potential strikes on Iran’s underground missile and drone storage sites. Video footage reportedly shows a missile launcher being removed from one of the bombers at RAF Fairford, indicating a shift in armament configuration.

Reports state that the aircraft are being equipped with Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) bombs, which require the bomber to fly within about 25 miles of its target. This implies that US aircraft may need to enter or approach Iranian airspace to carry out such operations. Analysts interpret this as a sign that the Pentagon believes much of Iran’s air defense capability has already been neutralized.

Observers note that the bombers have been positioned visibly outside hangars, apparently to signal that the United States’ most powerful weapons are ready and that Iran’s ability to counter them is limited.