Maybe, maybe not. Depends on what the USAF was trying to do here: achieve a major affect on target, or test the F-35’s weapons release from the internal weapons stores. Dropping a pair of small diameter bombs per sortie is a very expensive way to make an impression on the enemy unless they have the means to down the aircraft.
Yep. I looked at the plane and you are spot on. They very well could have been on the outside depending.