Israeli assessments suggest that the likelihood of a U.S. strike on Iran is growing, with sources in Washington indicating that a decision to launch has effectively been made, leaving only the timing of execution pending.

The administration, however, faces two significant challenges: a rare absence of aircraft carriers in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility and the vulnerability of American bases to Iranian missile retaliation, particularly amid depleted stocks of advanced interceptor missiles after heavy use in support of Israel over the past two years.

In this context, Israel’s Channel 14 has released an analysis of U.S. military capabilities, highlighting the role of air power and strategic bombers over reliance on aircraft carriers. The report emphasized that the United States retains broad offensive options even without carriers in the region, citing its fleet of strategic bombers, extensive aerial refueling capabilities, and long-range cruise missiles, including the JASSM and JASSM-ER, which allow for precision strikes from safe distances.

According to the report, Washington’s options include deploying B‑2 stealth bombers, as well as B‑1 and B‑52 aircraft. The channel stressed that the critical factor is not the capabilities themselves but the political decision to employ them. The B‑2 is considered the most prominent asset, owing to its ability to penetrate advanced air defenses, deliver precise strikes, and exit undetected.

The U.S. Air Force operates approximately 140 strategic bombers, including 19 B‑2s, 45 B‑1s, and 76 B‑52s, supported by roughly 450 aerial refueling aircraft. This, the report noted, gives the United States the capacity to conduct long-range operations from virtually any point in the world. The channel contrasted this with the Israeli Air Force, which has a limited number of refueling aircraft.

Channel 14 also highlighted past U.S. use of B‑2 bombers in strikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities during a 12-day conflict last June. The aircraft reportedly took off from U.S. bases and successfully struck underground targets in Iran.

Regarding armaments, the report noted that the B‑2 can carry dozens of tons of precision-guided munitions, while the B‑1 offers a larger payload and higher speed, reducing time spent in contested airspace. Even the older B‑52 remains operationally relevant due to its ability to launch JASSM cruise missiles from long distances.

The JASSM missile has a range of roughly 370 kilometers, while the extended-range JASSM-ER can reach approximately 930 kilometers. Both systems use multiple guidance technologies that make them less vulnerable to electronic jamming and highly accurate. The report estimated that the United States holds thousands of these missiles in its strategic stockpile.

The assessment concluded that the U.S. Air Force maintains a wide array of options to conduct impactful military operations against Iran even without naval forces in the theater. The channel also noted that additional systems are still in early operational phases.