U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered a cryptic response when asked whether the recent deployment of B-2 stealth bombers was intended as a warning to Iran. “We’ll let them decide,” Hegseth said, emphasizing the aircraft's strategic value and hinting at the broader message their presence might send across the region.

The move, which saw up to six B-2 bombers stationed at the joint U.S.-British base on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, came amidst rising U.S.-Iran tensions and an ongoing American air campaign in Yemen, officials revealed to Reuters. With only 20 B-2s in the entire U.S. arsenal, their deployment is both rare and deliberate

These advanced aircraft—capable of carrying America’s most powerful conventional and nuclear weapons—are engineered for deep-strike missions, making them well-suited for operations in the Middle East, particularly if conflict were to escalate with Tehran.

While Hegseth stopped short of confirming that Iran was the intended audience for this show of force, he noted, “It’s a great asset... it sends a message to everybody.” He added that President Trump remains committed to preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, but emphasized that diplomacy remains the preferred path. “The President is focused on doing that peacefully,” he said during remarks in Panama.

This comes on the heels of a surprising announcement from Trump that direct negotiations with Iran over its nuclear ambitions would begin Saturday. However, Iranian officials stated the discussions would remain indirect and be held in Oman, highlighting continued mistrust and a gap in communication between the two nations.

Despite signaling hope for diplomacy, Trump also reiterated his readiness to use military force if Iran resists U.S. demands to abandon its nuclear efforts. “They can’t have a nuclear weapon,” he said. “If it requires military, we’re going to have military. Israel will, obviously, be... the leader of that. No one leads us. We do what we want.”

He declined to say when or if military action might commence.

Though B-2 bombers have previously been used against Houthi rebels in Yemen, military analysts say their deployment there is often excessive. The real significance may lie in the B-2’s ability to carry the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator—an ultra-powerful bunker-busting bomb capable of destroying deeply buried facilities, such as those suspected to house Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.

Western countries have long accused Tehran of secretly pursuing nuclear weapons under the guise of a civilian energy program, citing uranium enrichment beyond levels needed for power generation. Iran, meanwhile, insists its intentions are purely peaceful.