WASHINGTON — The US Air Force has deployed multiple strategic B-2 bombers to the remote island of Diego Garcia in the southern Indian Ocean, a US military official confirmed to Al-Monitor.

At least four of the nuclear-capable stealth bombers and at least 10 C-17 cargo aircraft have deployed to Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia over the past week, according to open-source satellite imagery and flight tracking data.

“US Strategic Command, its components and subordinate units routinely conduct global operations in coordination with other combatant commands, services and participating US government agencies to deter, detect and, if necessary, defeat strategic attacks against the United States and its allies,” the official said in a written statement. “To preserve operational security, we do not discuss details about exercises or operations.”

Why it matters: The amassing of USAF B-2s and C-17s in the southern Indian Ocean puts them within striking range of Iran and Yemen. STRATCOM's public confirmation of the deployments came just days after the Pentagon ordered a second aircraft carrier to deploy to the Middle East.