Direct proof of use
U.S. Central Command released official video on March 1, 2026 showing U.S. B-1 bombers taking off to support Operation Epic Fury and stated that the bombers struck deep inside Iran to degrade Iranian ballistic-missile capabilities.
CENTCOM's first-72-hours fact sheet listed B-1 bombers among the U.S. assets employed in Operation Epic Fury, identified Iran as the target location, and listed ballistic-missile sites among the target categories. A later CENTCOM photo caption documented B-1B Lancers returning on March 4, 2026 from a CONUS-to-CONUS mission in support of the same operation.
Sources: CENTCOM B-1 Operation Epic Fury Video, CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Fact Sheet, CENTCOM B-1B Return Photo
Timeline
CENTCOM's fact sheet says Operation Epic Fury began at 1:15 a.m. on February 28, 2026 in the CENTCOM area of responsibility, with Iran as the target location. The same document says more than 1,700 targets were struck in the first 72 hours and includes B-1 bombers in the asset list.
On March 1, 2026, official CENTCOM and DVIDS video material documented B-1 bombers taking off for the operation and tied their mission to strikes inside Iran against ballistic-missile capabilities. On March 4, 2026, CENTCOM imagery documented B-1B Lancers returning from a CONUS-to-CONUS Operation Epic Fury mission.
Sources: CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Fact Sheet, CENTCOM B-1 Operation Epic Fury Video, DVIDS USAF Operation Epic Fury Video, CENTCOM B-1B Return Photo
Operational role
The documented role of the B-1B in this conflict was long-range conventional strike. CENTCOM attributed the B-1 mission to attacks deep inside Iran against ballistic-missile capabilities, while its campaign fact sheet placed B-1 bombers within a wider U.S. air, missile-defense, naval, tanker, cargo, and command-and-control package used in the opening phase of Operation Epic Fury.
Public reporting added that three B-1Bs flew ultra-long-range sorties, likely from Ellsworth Air Force Base, but the same report noted that CENTCOM had not confirmed the departure base and that the specific munitions used in the mission were not confirmed. The source-backed catalog claim is therefore limited to U.S. B-1B use for deep strikes against Iranian ballistic-missile-related targets during Operation Epic Fury.
Sources: CENTCOM B-1 Operation Epic Fury Video, CENTCOM Operation Epic Fury Fact Sheet, Military Times B-1B Epic Fury Report
