Massive US Airstrike Targets Iranian Nuclear Sites

The recent operation, dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” marked the largest deployment of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to date and involved the longest flight since 2001. For the first time in combat, the US used 15-ton GBU-57 bunker buster bombs, dropping 14 of these powerful ordnance on Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities.

The surprise attack targeted three major sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The 25-minute operation commenced at 6:40 p.m. ET, with a B-2 bomber dropping two GBU-57 bombs on Fordow, followed by additional bombers striking their designated targets with a total of 14 bunker busters.

Prior to the attack, the US moved fighter jets such as F-22 Raptors, F-35s, and F-16s from European bases to the Middle East. The operation concluded with a series of Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from an American submarine, likely an Ohio-class vessel, to maintain the element of surprise. Over two dozen missiles successfully targeted infrastructure at Isfahan.

Throughout the mission, US forces employed deception tactics, including deploying decoys and aircraft to divert Iranian defenses, which remained largely unaware of the incoming strike. The operation was executed with precise coordination, involving complex in-flight refuelings and tightly synchronized maneuvers to ensure stealth and effectiveness.

Defense officials highlighted the historic nature of the strike, emphasizing the first operational use of the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)—one of the most powerful bunker-buster bombs ever designed—and the longest B-2 mission since 2001. The operation demonstrated advanced tactics and high-stakes precision to impede Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Commenting on the mission’s significance, military leaders underscored that it was only the second longest B-2 flight in history, surpassed only by post-9/11 operations. Despite the attack, Tehran has issued threats of retaliation, and US forces remain on high alert in regions including Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf, prepared to counter potential Iranian or proxy attacks.