Six US B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are in the air, heading toward the western Pacific island of Guam. The planes were refueled shortly after takeoff, indicating they were carrying heavy payloads, CNN reported, citing Pentagon sources. A second refueling is planned over the northwest Pacific, with a KC-135 Stratotanker set to depart from Hawaii. The operation, which began on June 21, 2025, underscores the US military buildup in the region amid rising tensions with China and North Korea.

According to Reuters, the B-2 deployment to Guam is part of a U.S. strategic force rotation aimed at demonstrating readiness for any challenge in the Indo-Pacific region. The bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, home to the 509th Bomb Wing, the only U.S. Air Force unit operating the B-2. Defense sources cited by The Washington Post noted that the aircraft can carry nuclear weapons, including B61-12 bombs or AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles, although the Pentagon has not officially confirmed the payload. In-flight refueling by KC-10 Extender tankers allowed the bombers to fly thousands of miles without landing, highlighting their ability for intercontinental missions.

Guam, strategically located 3400 miles from China, serves as a key U.S. outpost in the western Pacific. The island’s Andersen Air Force Base regularly hosts strategic bombers, including B-52s and B-1Bs, according to Stars and Stripes, but the deployment of the radar-evading B-2s is seen as a more significant signal. The move comes as the Donald Trump administration has made recent statements about the need to rein in China, which has continued to build up its military presence in the South China Sea. Beijing has responded to the U.S. moves by holding exercises involving the Liaoning aircraft carrier and deploying additional missile systems to artificial islands, according to the South China Morning Post.