US readies bunker-busters: B-1s to hit Iran’s underground missile and drone sites

Dubai: The United States is preparing some of its most powerful long-range bombers for possible strikes on deeply buried targets in Iran, even as the widening conflict spills into Gulf shipping lanes and oil infrastructure across the region.

Videos taken Wednesday at RAF Fairford in Britain showed US Air Force B-1 bomber aircraft being loaded with heavy “bunker-buster” munitions, widely interpreted by analysts as a signal that Washington may be preparing to hit fortified underground facilities where Iran is believed to store ballistic missiles and drones.

The footage also showed a missile launcher being removed from the weapons bay of at least one B-1, suggesting the aircraft could be configured to carry large precision-guided bombs designed to destroy hardened underground targets.

Potential targets include large industrial complexes linked to Iran’s long-range weapons programme, underground command bunkers, nuclear-related facilities and the entrances to Iran’s so-called “missile cities” — vast tunnel networks used to store ballistic missiles and drones.

Why the B-1 bomber matters

B-1B Lancer

• Long-range US strategic bomber capable of carrying 34 tonnes of weapons

• Can fly at supersonic speeds and strike targets thousands of kilometres away

• Designed to carry large numbers of precision-guided bombs and cruise missiles

• Often used for deep-strike missions against hardened targets

• Designed to penetrate reinforced underground bunkers

• Used against missile storage sites, command centres and hardened facilities

• Require aircraft to fly closer to the target than cruise missiles

• Why it’s significant now

• Suggests US may be preparing direct strikes on Iran’s underground missile infrastructure

• Indicates Washington believes Iran’s air defences have been weakened

Among the weapons seen being loaded were Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs) — precision bombs capable of penetrating reinforced structures. Unlike cruise missiles that can be launched from hundreds of miles away, JDAM strikes require bombers to fly roughly 25 miles (40km) from their targets, meaning the aircraft would need to penetrate deep into Iranian airspace.

Unlike stand-off cruise missile strikes, bomber aircraft flying closer to their targets can unleash far larger barrages of precision-guided bombs, allowing them to devastate large target areas or hit hardened underground facilities.

Military analysts say such preparations suggest the Pentagon believes Iran’s air defence network has been severely degraded after days of US-Israeli strikes.

Possible US targets inside Iran

• Underground ‘missile cities’ – tunnel complexes used to store ballistic missiles and drones

• Long-range weapons factories – industrial sites linked to missile production and development

• Command and control bunkers – hardened facilities used to coordinate military operations

• Nuclear-related sites – facilities connected to Iran’s nuclear programme

• Storage depots – sites holding missiles, drones and other strategic weapons

The B-1 bomber fleet is relatively small — the United States operates about 40 aircraft, according to the World Air Forces 2026 database by FlightGlobal — meaning the loss of even one aircraft in combat would represent a major operational and symbolic blow.

Iran’s ‘missile cities’

Underground bases built to protect Tehran’s arsenal

• Vast tunnel networks carved deep into mountains or underground facilities

• Used to store ballistic missiles, drones and launch equipment

• Designed to protect weapons from airstrikes and surveillance

• Some tunnels allow missiles to be rolled out and launched quickly

• Iran has revealed several such bases in propaganda videos over the years

Why they matter:
Military planners believe bombing tunnel entrances and access points could trap missiles inside, preventing them from being used in the conflict.

The fact that the bombers were being armed in plain sight of observers near the British airbase is also seen as a strategic message to Tehran: Some of Washington’s most destructive conventional weapons may soon enter the fight.

Allowing forward-deployed bombers such as the B-1 and B-52 to strike directly inside Iran could significantly increase the tempo and destructive power of the air campaign.

War spreads to Gulf oil routes

The preparations came as the conflict widened further across the Arabian Gulf, threatening global energy supplies.

Iranian attacks early Thursday targeted oil infrastructure and shipping routes across the region.

Two foreign oil tankers in Iraqi waters were set ablaze in an attack that killed at least one crew member, while 38 sailors were rescued, authorities said. In Oman, emergency crews battled a major fire at a fuel storage facility after a drone strike hit a tank at the port.

Bahrain said Iranian attacks also targeted fuel storage facilities in the country’s north.

Shipping lanes near the Strait of Hormuz — the world’s most critical oil chokepoint carrying about one-fifth of global crude shipments — also came under attack.

Three vessels were struck by projectiles near the strait, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency, while a container ship off the coast of the United Arab Emirates was hit by an unknown projectile that caused a small onboard fire.

The attacks raised fears of a broader energy shock as the war spreads beyond military targets.

Global oil shock response

In response to the escalating disruption, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced the largest emergency oil release in history, with member countries agreeing to inject 400 million barrels of oil into global markets.

Shortly afterward, US President Donald Trump authorised the release of 172 million barrels from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve, aimed at stabilizing energy markets.

Israel-Iran fighting intensifies

Meanwhile, the fighting between Iran and Israel intensified.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it conducted a joint operation with Hezbollah, launching attacks on more than 50 targets in Israel over five hours.

Israel responded with what its military described as a “wide-scale” wave of strikes targeting Hezbollah infrastructure across Lebanon, including sites in Beirut.

With missiles, drones and naval attacks now spreading across multiple fronts — from Israel and Lebanon to Gulf shipping lanes — the conflict is rapidly expanding into a wider regional crisis.