# US deploys B-1 bombers in Iran strikes for first time since war resumed; Trump threatens 'massive attack' > The US military used B-1 Lancer heavy bombers against Iran on July 23, the first deployment of the aircraft in 12 days since fighting resumed, as Trump told Axios he is 'close to a decision' on an unprecedented 'massive attack' if Iran refuses to negotiate; US intelligence is separately probing whether Russia supplied targeting data for Iranian drone strikes on CIA facilities in Saudi Arabia and Iraq; the US House of Representatives passed a new troop-withdrawal resolution **Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-07-23 · heads: 战争究竟如何收场, 谁的钱 · 23 takes · 6 lenses · 13 regions ## Summary The US military deployed [[B-1 Lancer]] heavy bombers in strikes on [Iran](/zh/entity/iran) on July 23, the first use of the aircraft since the [Iran-US war](/zh/entity/iran-us-war-2026) resumed 12 days earlier. The B-1 can carry two dozen 2,000-lb bombs or dozens of cruise missiles, making its deployment a significant escalation. [Trump](/zh/entity/person/donald-trump) told Axios he is "close to a decision" on a "massive attack" against Iran if Tehran refuses to negotiate, the most direct escalation threat yet. Iran continued striking [Bahrain](/zh/entity/bahrain), [Kuwait](/zh/entity/kuwait), and [Jordan](/zh/entity/jordan) with missiles and drones on July 23, a day after the Al-Abdali border fire in Kuwait was contained. Separately, US intelligence is investigating whether [Russia](/zh/entity/russia) supplied targeting data or advanced drone technology for Iranian drone strikes on CIA facilities in [Saudi Arabia](/zh/entity/saudi-arabia) and [Iraq](/zh/entity/iraq); one Western intelligence agency memo cited by Rappler concludes Russia "likely played a role." The US House of Representatives passed a new war-powers resolution calling for troop withdrawal from the Iran campaign, the latest congressional rebuke of [Trump's](/zh/entity/person/donald-trump) war authority, though the measure has no binding force under current political alignment. ## The split Western outlets emphasize the B-1 deployment as the headline escalation. Iranian and Gulf regional outlets focus on Trump's "massive attack" threat, which Iranian state media is treating as a propaganda asset. The Japan Times and Rappler flag the Russia-CIA link as the deeper story, noting it signals Moscow is willing to take greater risks in disrupting US operations abroad, not merely supporting Iranian conventional capacity. Latin American outlets (Infobae, El Espectador) frame the House withdrawal vote as the political counterweight, portraying a fractured US war posture. Hungarian outlet Telex provides European context on the ceasefire-then-resumed pattern of the conflict. ## By the numbers - 12, consecutive days of US strikes on Iran as of July 23 - 24 or more, 2,000-lb bombs a single B-1 Lancer can carry - 3, US service members killed in the campaign as of July 20 - 4, Western intelligence sources cited by Haaretz for the Russia-CIA targeting probe - 2, Saudi oil tankers struck by Houthis on July 23 ## Why it matters The B-1 deployment marks a qualitative shift in US strike capacity over Iran. Trump's "massive attack" threat, if acted on, would likely target Iranian oil and energy infrastructure, with immediate consequences for global oil prices and [Hormuz shipping](/zh/n/hormuz-bab-mandeb-closure-0722). The Russia-CIA facility targeting allegation, if confirmed, would widen the conflict from a US-Iran bilateral into a proxy confrontation with Moscow, with implications for the Ukraine war and NATO posture. ## What to watch - Whether Iran responds to the B-1 deployment with a new target set (oil terminals, US bases in Iraq) or signals back-channel willingness to negotiate - Whether the US confirms or denies the Russia-CIA targeting allegation through official channels - Whether Trump's "massive attack" decision is made before or after the next Lavrov-Rubio contact - Progress on ceasefire mediation through Oman or the Gulf Arab channel flagged by earlier reporting ## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens) ### Iranian exile media - **Iran International** (Iran/UK, en) — Iran International, the main English-language outlet covering the Iranian state from outside, broke the B-1 deployment story citing US officials via Axios. It notes this is the first use of the aircraft since fighting resumed 12 days earlier, and that the B-1 can carry large bomb loads or dozens of cruise missiles, signaling a significant escalation. > "The US military used a B-1 long-range bomber to strike IRGC targets in Iran on Tuesday, marking the first use of the aircraft since fighting resumed 12 days ago." Source: https://www.iranintl.com/en/202607237357 ### European financial press - **Il Sole 24 Ore** (Italy, en) — Italy's financial newspaper covered Trump's 'massive attack' statement alongside the B-1 deployment, noting the US State Department issued a warning about escalation risk and that the US is stepping up its military presence in the Persian Gulf region. > "Trump: 'I am close to a decision on a massive attack on Iran.' US resumed using the B-1 super bomber." Source: https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/war-latest-news-axios-usa-have-resumed-using-the-b-1-super-bomber-AJqG44S ### Southeast Asian independent press - **Rappler** (Philippines, en) — Rappler reports a Western intelligence agency memo described by a regional official concluded Russia 'likely played a role' in targeting CIA facilities in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, with Iranian drone strikes on those sites prompting a US intelligence investigation into whether Moscow supplied targeting data or drone technology. > "One internal memo from a Western intelligence agency concluded Russia has likely played a role in targeting regional CIA facilities." Source: https://www.rappler.com/world/middle-east/iran-strikes-cia-facilities-questions-possible-russia-role/ ### Indo-Pacific regional press - **Japan Times** (Japan, en) — The Japan Times notes that while Russian assistance to Iran is longstanding, specific targeting of sensitive CIA sites would indicate Moscow is willing to go further in disrupting US operations, a distinction that carries significance for the broader Russia-US relationship. > "While Russian assistance for Iran is longstanding, specific targeting of CIA sites would indicate Moscow is willing to go further in disrupting US operations." Source: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/07/23/world/politics/iran-strikes-cia-russian-role/ ### Central European independent press - **Telex** (Hungary, hu) — Hungarian outlet Telex provides regional European context: the US has been striking Iran for 12 consecutive days, and Iran and the US signed a ceasefire in April before fighting resumed, framing the conflict for an audience with no direct stake. > "Iran and the United States concluded a ceasefire in April, but fighting recently resumed. The US has struck Iran for 12 consecutive days." Source: https://telex.hu/kulfold/2026/07/23/amerika-iran-hadsereg-tamadas ### unlabelled - **The Week India** (India, en) — Source: https://www.theweek.in/news/middle-east/2026/07/23/b-1-lancer-bombers-return-to-middle-east-did-they-strike-irans-nuclear-sites.html - **Jerusalem Post** (Israel, en) — Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-903386 - **Irish Times** (Ireland, en) — Source: https://www.irishtimes.com/world/middle-east/2026/07/23/iran-war-live-updates-us-houthis-donald-trump/ - **Al Jazeera** (Qatar, en) — Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/23/has-russia-helped-iran-target-cia-sites-in-the-gulf - **Haaretz** (Israel, en) — Source: https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/iran/2026-07-23/ty-article/iran-strikes-on-cia-facilities-prompt-questions-about-possible-russian-role/0000019f-8b5e-de9f-afdf-ab5ebcee0000 - **Benzinga** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/26/07/60636751/us-probes-whether-russia-helped-iran-target-cia-facilities-with-advanced-drone-technology-report - **Express Tribune** (Pakistan, en) — Source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2619833/iran-strikes-on-cia-facilities-prompt-questions-about-possible-russian-role - **Al Jazeera (tankers update)** (Qatar, en) — Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/23/iran-houthis-strike-tankers-as-us-bombing-continues-whats-the-latest - **Al Jazeera (Trump warning)** (Qatar, en) — Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/23/trump-warns-of-biggest-strikes-yet-on-iran-as-tehran-lashes-out-across-gulf - **El Espectador** (Colombia, es) — Source: https://www.elespectador.com/mundo/america/camara-de-ee-uu-aprueba-nueva-resolucion-para-retirar-tropas-de-la-guerra-con-iran/ - **Infobae** (Argentina, es) — Source: https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2026/07/23/los-conflictos-en-iran-ucrania-y-el-mar-de-china-meridional-eclipsan-la-reunion-de-asean/ - **Legal Insurrection** (United States, en) — Source: https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/07/report-b-1-bombers-deployed-as-u-s-intensifies-iran-strikes/ - **Al Jazeera (liveblog)** (Qatar, en) — Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/7/23/iran-war-live-us-launches-new-attacks-houthis-attack-2-saudi-oil-tankers?update=4799666 - **Axios (B-1 bomber)** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.axios.com/2026/07/23/b-1-bomber-iran-war - **Axios (Trump interview)** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.axios.com/2026/07/23/trump-axios-iran-interview - **Axios (House vote)** (United States, en) — Source: https://www.axios.com/2026/07/23/iran-war-powers-vote-house-republicans-trump - **Israel Hayom** (Israel, en) — Source: https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/07/23/b-1-bombers-return-to-iran-signaling-shift-to-heavier-us-strikes/ - **The Hill** (United States, en) — Source: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5986262-trump-iran-us-military-attack/ ## Across the graph - Related: [[iran-gulf-allies-strikes-0720]], [[us-iran-strikes-bandar-jul17]], [[hormuz-bab-mandeb-closure-0722]], [[houthi-saudi-blockade-0720]] - Entities: United States, Iran, Person:donald Trump, Russia, Irgc, Place:strait of Hormuz, Iran US War 2026 --- Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/zh/n/us-iran-b1-cia-0723