Newly analysed satellite images show the deployment of at least six nuclear-capable B-2 bombers to Camp Thunder Bay on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, as temperatures start to boil between Tehran and Washington over Yemen and the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme. 

Speculation continues to grow that the US buildup on Diego Garcia and the naval buildup in the Persian Gulf as America continues to raise the pressure on Tehran over its nuclear programme ahead of a two-month ultimatum sent from President Donald Trump to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Fears continue to grow of a possible early assault on Iranian military positions by both Israel and the US, with Israeli media previously reporting the Jewish state would strike Iran ahead of any American military action. 

The presence of the bombers comes as the United States maintains its airstrike campaign targeting Yemen's Houthi rebels, with the B-2 having previously been used in combat to target the Houthis, the Associated Press reported on April 2.

The build-up also came as Iranian warship IRIS Shahd Mahdavi reportedly was 1 km away from Diego Garcia in May 2024, as shown in images discovered by IntelliNews on April 2. 

Tensions remain high between Iran and the US over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear programme, with the B-2 considered crucial for potentially bombing Iran's underground nuclear sites.

The number of B-2 bombers seen on Diego Garcia has been rising in satellite photos analysed by the agency since last week, according to images from Planet Labs PBC.

The US Air Force fleet contains 20 B-2 bombers, with 21 initially built before one was destroyed in a 2008 crash and another retired after being damaged in a 2022 crash.

Each B-2 requires two pilots and features a wingspan of 172 feet, with the ability to fly 6,000 nautical miles (~11,100 km) without refuelling and reach a ceiling of 50,000 feet.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the US has conducted over 100 airstrikes against the Houthis since March 15, whilst Houthi officials claim 17 people have been killed in the campaign.

The B-2 can carry the GBU-57 "Massive Ordnance Penetrator" weighing 12,300 kilogrammes, at an estimated cost of $2.1bn per aircraft.

The build-up is backed by Pentagon comments that confirmed on April 1 that the US military will transfer two Patriot batteries and one THAAD battery from the Indo-Pacific Command region to the US Central Command region in the Middle East.

It is expected that the missile defence systems will be moved to Arab Persian Gulf countries hosting US bases, which potentially include Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, NBC News reported.