Multiple U.S. Air Force B-2 bombers appeared to be airborne and heading west from the United States across the Pacific, and President Trump left his New Jersey golf club to return to the White House early Saturday evening as he deliberates about whether to join Israel’s efforts to destroy Iran’s nuclear sites.

Air traffic control communications indicated that several B-2 aircraft — the planes that could be equipped to carry the 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs that Mr. Trump is considering deploying against Iran’s underground nuclear facilities in Fordo — had taken off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

Russia

Several B-2s took

off from Whiteman

Air Force Base in

Missouri.

Mongolia

United

States

Turkey

Japan

Pacific Ocean

China

Israel

Iran

Saudi

Arabia

They’ve called

in from over

the Pacific.

Mexico

India

Ethiopia

Their destination may

be Andersen Air Force

Base in Guam.

Colombia

Peru

Indian Ocean

Australia

Several B-2s took off

from Whiteman Air

Force Base in Missouri.

Russia

They’ve called

in from over

the Pacific.

United

States

Japan

China

Israel

Iran

India

Mexico

Ethiopia

Their destination

may be Andersen

Air Force Base in

Guam.

Pacific

Ocean

Indian

Ocean

By Devon Lum and Elena Shao

The B-2 flights were initially tracked on social media before 1 a.m. Eastern time on Saturday. Some flight trackers said on social media that the destination of the aircraft is Guam, the U.S. territory, which has several military installations. The bombers appeared to be accompanied by refueling tankers for portions of the journey, the flight tracking data showed.

Additional Air Force F-22, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets have crossed Europe and are now at bases in the Middle East, or are arriving there, a U.S. official said on Saturday. The jets could escort B-2 bombers that target Fordo, or protect U.S. bases and troops in the region in the event of Iranian retaliatory strikes.

Moving planes does not mean a final decision has been made about whether to strike. It is not unusual to shift military assets into position to provide options to the president and military commanders even if they are not ultimately deployed.

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