In an unprecedented covert operation, the United States carried out a high-risk, long-range bombing mission targeting Iran’s most fortified nuclear facilities, officials confirmed Sunday. Dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, the mission involved B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, Tomahawk missiles, and intricate deception tactics aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
The mission began just after midnight EDT from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, where seven B-2 bombers loaded with GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs took off under complete radio silence. The aircraft, capable of breaching up to 60 feet of concrete, were headed for Iran’s deeply buried nuclear sites at Fordo and Natanz.
To mask the operation, U.S. military planners deployed a diversionary tactic, flying additional aircraft westward toward Guam to mislead global observers. “It was a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners,” said General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a Pentagon briefing.
By late evening Saturday (EDT), the bombers rendezvoused over the Middle East with support aircraft and initiated a coordinated strike. Simultaneously, over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from a U.S. submarine in the Arabian Sea toward Iran’s Isfahan facility.
The main strike occurred between 18:40 and 19:30 EDT, targeting the underground facilities at Fordo and Natanz.
According to the Pentagon, 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs were dropped, marking the first combat use of these powerful munitions. Meanwhile, cruise missiles struck the Isfahan site, more than 200 km away, in a near-simultaneous blow.
Despite the scale of the attack, Iran’s air defenses remained inactive, and no fighter jets were launched in response. Experts credit Israeli air dominance in the region as a contributing factor in allowing U.S. aircraft to operate unchallenged.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called the operation a “powerful and clear” message about America’s capabilities. However, analysts caution that while tactically successful, the mission’s long-term impact on Iran’s nuclear program remains uncertain.
“The true extent of the damage will take time to evaluate,” said Dr. Stacie Pettyjohn of the Center for a New American Security. “This was a mission no other country could have pulled off, but strategic success is still an open question.”
