Two B-52H “Stratofortress” bombers flew a 30-hour round-trip mission from the United States to the Persian Gulf on Wednesday in what appears to be a show of military readiness aimed at Iran. The mission to the Middle East was the second of its kind this month. The long-range warplanes took off from Minot, North Dakota, on Tuesday, and were refuelled in flight. U.S. Central Command said in a statement that the “deliberate” appearance in the Middle East was to “underscore the U.S. military’s commitment to regional security and demonstrate a unique ability to rapidly deploy overwhelming combat power on short notice.” Its statement reads, “The two-ship deployment also delivers a clear deterrent message to anyone who intends to do harm to Americans or American interests … The United States continues to work closely with allies and partner to advance regional security and stability. This mission is the third bomber deployment into CENTCOM’s area …