Pentagon: B-52 bombers begin flying over Iran for first time — air defenses 'significantly degraded'

The United States military has begun flying B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers over Iranian territory for the first time since the war began on February 28, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine confirmed at Tuesday's Pentagon briefing, as reported by the New York Times. The deployment was described by the NYT as giving US bombers 'free rein' — suggesting Iran's layered air defense network has been sufficiently degraded to allow slow, large-platform strategic bombers to operate over Iranian territory without prohibitive risk. The IDF stated earlier that it has destroyed more than 80% of Iran's air defense systems. B-52s carry significantly larger conventional bomb loads than F-15s, F-35s, or B-2 stealth bombers and are used for high-intensity area suppression campaigns. Their deployment over Iran represents a qualitative escalation in the bombing campaign's intensity. Gen. Caine said US warplanes are now focused on destroying supply chains that fed Iran's missile, drone, and naval shipbuilding facilities — 'choking off the country's ability to replace munitions destroyed in thousands of American bombing runs.' He said the US is delivering precision strikes against manufacturing nodes 'deep within Iran.' Defense Secretary Hegseth added: 'They will shoot some missiles; we will shoot them down,' downplaying Iran's remaining offensive capability. Hegseth also said the US was 'closer than ever before to winning.' Despite the presser's confidence, Hegseth acknowledged Iran 'still retained the ability to retaliate' — consistent with Iran continuing daily missile salvos throughout D32.