B-2, bunker-busters, and feints: How US carried out Operation Midnight Hammer on Iran

Operation Midnight Hammer relied on the aircraft pilots’ expertise, the bombers’ technical advancement, and feints. It can be thought of as a turning point in the Iran-Israel war, as it marks the US’s entry.

The US used feints in Operation Midnight Hammer

The first feint was a set of B-2 Spirit bombers flying west over the Pacific. These were decoys that were meant to draw the world’s attention while another set of B-2 bombers flew under the radar to carry out the strike.

The 37-hour-long operation involved the B-2 bombers, which carried out the strikes flying nonstop from the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to Iran and back. In this long journey, they were aided by multiple tankers which provided fuel to them for the long flight.

According to statements from Pentagon officials, a total of seven B-2 stealth bombers were involved in the attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities.

The B-2 and support group’s entry into Iran, the attack on nuclear facilities, and exit from Tehran’s airspace happened in roughly 1.5 hours, as per the Pentagon.

A US submarine also acted as a feint by launching 24 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Isfahan nuclear site just ahead of the B-2 bombers’ entry into Iranian airspace.

The B-2 bombers were supported by other US warfighters, which were positioned to neutralize threats from enemy aircraft and surface-to-air missiles.

Attack on Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran

The first B-2 dropped two 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs at the Fordow site. The Pentagon says a total of 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) were dropped on targets at Fordow and Natanz.

“We devastated the Iranian nuclear program. But it’s worth noting the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people,” Pete Hegseth, the US Secretary of Defense, said at a press briefing.

Hegseth further said that the strike “included the longest B-2 Spirit bomber mission since 2001 and the first operational employment of the MOP.” The longest B-2 mission to date had seen it carrying out a strike in Afghanistan.

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gave details about the operation. He said that the Isfahan nuclear site was the last to be hit by the Tomahawk cruise missiles. A total of 14 bunker-buster bombs were dropped against two nuclear target areas in Fordow and Natanz by the B-2 stealth bombers.

In total, the US employed approximately 75 precision-guided weapons during this operation. 

The US says that initial reports suggest a great deal of damage to all three sites in Iran. However, Iran has yet to come out with an official statement regarding the extent of the damage. Hegseth said that Fordow was the primary target, and the hit seems to have caused substantial damage to it.

He further said that a second wave of attack may be unleashed after a clearer picture comes out regarding the damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities in Operation Midnight Hammer.

Hegseth reiterated that the strikes were aimed at delivering a blow to Iran’s nuclear program alone, and there is no plan for a regime change.

The US says it is alert and watching Tehran closely for retaliatory moves.