The U.S. military announced that “one U.S. Air Force B1-B ‘Lancer’ aircrew flew a presence patrol mission in the Central Region that included several partner nation air forces”, including Bahrain, Israel and Saudi Arabia. According to CENTCOM, “the bomber task force mission – the fifth in U.S. Central Command’s area of operation this year – was intended to deliver a clear message of reassurance”, with a route that “originated in the Indian Ocean, flew over the Gulf of Aden, Bab al-Mandab Strait, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman before departing the region”.