Yesterday, two B-52H long-range bombers of the United States Air Force launched from the Fairford Air Force Base, as well as at least 4 KC-135R tanker aircraft launched from the Mildenhall Air Force Base crossed the Mediterranean Sea near Italy yesterday, heading towards the Middle East.

After they were denied access to Egyptian airspace, they received permission and began conducting exercises over Jordan, probably in conjunction with the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF). The long-range strategic bombers then crossed into Iraq and the Persian Gulf, flying along the border with Iran in an apparent "show of force," according to flight tracking websites.