The U.S. Air Force is deploying six B-52 bombers to Diego Garcia, an island base in the Indian Ocean, amid the rising threat from Iran after the U.S.-led airstrike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, Fox News confirmed Monday. The B-52 bombers reportedly were spotted departing from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana to Diego Garcia, which is located 2,300 miles south of Iran’s southernmost tip. The U.S. military previously had sent a bomber task force to Qatar in May, but the bombers left after a few months, a U.S. defense official said. Both Esper and Milley called the unsigned letter a mistake and said the U.S. had no intention of withdrawing troops from the Middle East as tensions ramped up. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report.

Source: Fox News January 07, 2020 01:06 UTC