What Forces Could the U.S. Use to Strike Iran?
President Trump is considering a range of options on Iran, including strikes, administration officials have said, and the U.S. has been building up military assets in the region. These are some of the forces Trump has at his disposal should he opt for military action.
The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier strike group is already in the Middle East. A second aircraft carrier battlegroup, the USS Nimitz, is headed to the region. A third that includes the USS Ford is expected to leave later this month for Europe and could be redirected to the region.
B-2 bombers are based on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The stealthy planes are the only ones able to carry the 30,000-pound GBU-57 'bunker buster' bomb, which analysts say would have the best chance of hitting Iran's underground nuclear facilities.
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