{"id":14840,"date":"2026-03-12T15:15:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=14840"},"modified":"2026-03-12T15:15:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:15:09","slug":"bunker-busting-bombs-loaded-onto-us-planes-at-uk-airbase-amid-iran-war-us-israel-war-on-iran-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=14840","title":{"rendered":"Bunker-busting bombs loaded onto US planes at UK airbase amid Iran war | US-Israel war on Iran News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>The use of RAF Fairford by US forces highlights the UK\u2019s increasingly active role in the US-Israeli war on Iran.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><button class=\"article-listen-container\" aria-labelledby=\"listen-text listen-duration\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-button\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-listen-container__text\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-text\">Listen to this article<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u00a0|\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"article-listen-container__duration\">3 mins<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/button><button tabindex=\"0\" class=\"tooltip-accessible_trigger\"><svg class=\"icon icon--info icon--main-grey-dark icon--16 listen-to-article-tooltip__icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\"><title>info<\/title><path class=\"icon-main-color\" d=\"M12 0a12 12 0 1 0 0 24 12 12 0 0 0 0-24Zm-.226 3.225a2.039 2.039 0 0 1 2.155 1.924v.193a1.998 1.998 0 0 1-2.155 2.149 2.029 2.029 0 0 1-2.146-2.15 2.039 2.039 0 0 1 1.955-2.122h.193l-.002.006Zm3.227 15.525a.75.75 0 0 1-.752.75H9.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.75h.748V12h-.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.751h3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.752v6.75h.75a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.749L15 18.75Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"byline byline--single-avatar\">\n<div class=\"avatars-container\">\n<div class=\"responsive-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Nils-Adler-author-profile.jpg?resize=96%2C96&amp;quality=80 96w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 96px) 96px, 96px\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 12 Mar 2026<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">12 Mar 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<p>Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"icon icon--share2 icon--primary icon--16 \" viewbox=\"0 0 20 16\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 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9.519c-.16-.48-.251-.993-.251-1.52s.09-1.04.25-1.52V4.406H1.352A7.997 7.997 0 0 0 .5 8c0 1.29.31 2.513.85 3.593l2.674-2.073Z\"\/><path fill=\"#EA4335\" d=\"M8.5 3.182c1.175 0 2.23.403 3.058 1.196l2.295-2.294C12.467.793 10.656 0 8.5 0a7.997 7.997 0 0 0-7.149 4.407L4.024 6.48C4.653 4.59 6.417 3.182 8.5 3.182Z\"\/><\/g><defs><clippath id=\"a\"><path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M.5 0h16v16H.5z\"\/><\/clippath><\/defs><\/svg><span class=\"google-preferred-source__text\">Add Al Jazeera on Google<\/span><\/button><button tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"See more of Al Jazeera\u2019s trusted journalism by adding us as a preferred source on Google.\" class=\"tooltip-accessible_trigger\"><svg class=\"icon icon--info icon--primary icon--16 google-preferred-source__info-icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>info<\/title><path class=\"icon-main-color\" d=\"M12 0a12 12 0 1 0 0 24 12 12 0 0 0 0-24Zm-.226 3.225a2.039 2.039 0 0 1 2.155 1.924v.193a1.998 1.998 0 0 1-2.155 2.149 2.029 2.029 0 0 1-2.146-2.15 2.039 2.039 0 0 1 1.955-2.122h.193l-.002.006Zm3.227 15.525a.75.75 0 0 1-.752.75H9.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.75h.748V12h-.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.751h3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.752v6.75h.75a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.749L15 18.75Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>Three United States B-1B Lancer bombers have touched down at RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom after what is believed to be the first American strike mission against Iran launched from a British base, during the US-Israeli war on Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Al Jazeera\u2019s team witnessed the aircraft returning to the base as ground crews moved new stocks of bunker-busting bombs, fitted with JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) guidance kits, across the runway.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 4 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>Since the US and Israel first attacked Iran on February 28, the UK military has joined operations to intercept retaliatory Iranian drones and missile strikes across the Middle East, and has deployed additional assets to the eastern Mediterranean.<\/p>\n<p>During the outbreak of the war, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had refused the US permission to use UK bases for attacks on Iran.<\/p>\n<p>But on March 1, Starmer changed tack, stating that Westminster had approved a US request to use British bases for the \u201cdefensive purpose\u201d of destroying Iranian missiles \u201cat source\u201d after a drone struck a British military base on Cyprus.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, the latest operations at RAF Fairford signal a shift in the munitions used in the US bombing campaign and highlight the increasingly active role of British facilities in US strategic bombing operations.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4391820\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4391820\" style=\"width:770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4391820\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/getty_69b25de3a3-1773297123.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"FAIRFORD, ENGLAND - MARCH 11: Ground Crew load munitions into a US Air Force B-1 bomber at RAF Fairford on March 11, 2026 in Fairford, England. Since UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer allowed the US to use British bases to launch defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites, a variety of US military aircraft including B52 bombers, and B-1 bombers, have arrived at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. (Photo by Christopher Furlong\/Getty Images)\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4391820\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ground crew load munitions into a US Air Force B-1 bomber at RAF Fairford, UK [Christopher Furlong\/Getty]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The B-1B Lancer is a long-range strategic bomber capable of carrying large conventional payloads.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1073\" data-end=\"1391\">The bunker-busting bombs being prepared at RAF Fairford were fitted with JDAM kits, guidance systems that convert unguided bombs \u2013 such as the 500lb Mk-82, 1,000lb Mk-83 and 2,000lb Mk-84 \u2013 into precision-guided weapons by adding a GPS and inertial-navigation tail unit with control fins.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1398\" data-end=\"1551\">The kits can also be attached to penetrator bombs such as the BLU-109, which Israel has used in its war on Gaza, allowing aircraft to strike hardened or underground targets.<\/p>\n<p>Once fitted, the bomb can be programmed with target coordinates and guided, though it typically must be released closer to the target than long-range standoff missiles.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"majority-of-british-public-oppose-war\">Majority of British public oppose war<\/h2>\n<p>Members of the House of Commons Defence Select Committee have been briefed on the use of British bases. Government officials have repeatedly talked of a \u201cdefensive\u201d approach.<\/p>\n<p>On Monday, the UK Secretary of State for Defence John Healey said British forces had \u201cconducted defensive military operations from day one\u201d of the war on Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, polls indicate that the majority of the public opposes the war.<\/p>\n<p>In a poll conducted by YouGov and published on Monday, only 10 percent of the British public surveyed \u201cstrongly supported\u201d military action that the US has taken against Iran, with 37 percent stating that they \u201cstrongly oppose\u201d it.<\/p>\n<p>In another YouGov poll released on Wednesday, 61 percent of the public stated that they think the reasons for the US attacks on Iran remain \u201cunclear\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The use of RAF Fairford by US forces highlights the UK\u2019s increasingly active role in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Listen to this article\u00a0|\u00a03 mins info Published On 12 Mar 202612 Mar 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share plus2googleAdd Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Three United States B-1B Lancer bombers have touched [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14840","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-europe-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14840","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14840"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14840\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14815"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14840"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14840"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14840"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}