Dubai: The US Air Force said on Sunday it flew a B-1B strategic bomber over key maritime chokepoints in West Asia, with allies, including Israel, amid ongoing tensions with Iran as its nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters.
The B-1B Lancer bomber flew on Saturday over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20 per cent of all oil traded passes. It also flew over Red Sea, its narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait and Egypt’s Suez Canal.
The Strait of Hormuz has been the scene of attacks on shipping blamed on Iran in recent years, while Red Sea has seen similar assaults amid an ongoing shadow war between Tehran and Israel. The Islamic Republic has denied being involved in the attacks, though it has promised to take revenge on Israel for a series of attacks targeting its nuclear programme.
Fighter jets from Bahrain, Egypt, Israel and Saudi Arabia flew alongside the bomber.
Iranian state media did not immediately acknowledge the flyover.