As U.S. forces enter a second week of fighting with Iran, military leaders and officials say preparations are under way for a longer, expanded campaign. The Pentagon has repositioned additional long-range bombers to the region, and reports indicate a third carrier strike group is being readied to join carriers already carrying out strikes. More B-1 bombers have been sent to the Middle East, officials say.
Recent airstrikes have hit targets including sites in Tehran and an airfield near Isfahan. U.S. Central Command officials estimate American munitions struck roughly 3,000 targets over the past week. The U.S. campaign, described by leaders as intensifying and broadening, is being conducted alongside Israeli strikes. Despite significant damage and casualties, Iran’s leadership remains intact and has continued to counterattack beyond its borders.
The U.S. operation, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, now involves about 50,000 U.S. service members, according to U.S. officials. Iran reports thousands of its sites have been struck and says it has responded with retaliatory strikes and stepped-up regional pressure. Iran’s president dismissed the prospect of surrender as a ‘‘dream America should take to its grave’’ but indicated a limited pause in targeting Gulf states unless those countries take hostile action against Iran.
President Trump posted publicly that Iran is losing influence in the region and warned Tehran could be ‘‘hit very hard,’’ noting that additional areas and groups are ‘‘under serious consideration.’’ White House and military officials have signaled a willingness to widen operations to include more Iranian military and infrastructure targets.
Tensions have spread across the region: explosions were reported near Dubai’s main airport, and Bahrain — home to a major U.S. naval base — reported attacks. The carriers Gerald R. Ford and Abraham Lincoln have played central roles in recent strikes, and the USS George H.W. Bush is reported to be steaming toward the area to join them.
American families are mourning service members killed in the conflict; the president met grieving relatives as the first remains were returned to the United States. The State Department says more than 28,000 Americans have left the region since the fighting began. Israeli officials said they hoped to reopen Ben Gurion Airport for limited commercial flights. Media coverage of the unfolding events has included reporting from Tel Aviv and U.S. anchors covering developments at home.