B-2 bombers and ‘bunker buster' bombs used in US strikes on Iran
The United States has used its most elite stealth bombers and largest non-nuclear bombs in a massive coordinated strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.
President Donald Trump confirmed the US had 'completed our very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran', including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan on Saturday (Sunday AEST).
Two sources familiar with the operation told CNN the United States used the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), also known as a 'bunker buster,' in its strikes.
At least six B-2 Spirit bombers were deployed to attack Iran's deeply buried Fordow nuclear site, dropping the 1.3-ton MOP bomb, a US official told CNN.
The official said a dozen MOP bombs were dropped on Fordow alone.
The GBU-57A/B is a 30,000-pound (13,600kg) bomb is packed with 6000 pounds of explosives, designed specifically for 'reaching and destroying our adversaries' weapons of mass destruction located in well-protected facilities,' according to a US Air Force fact sheet.
The bomb explodes twice — once on impact, and again up to 60 metres underground.
The B-2 Spirit is the only aircraft capable of carrying the MOP.
Is the US Air Force's most advanced stealth bomber,
Separately, Navy submarines launched 30 Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) at nuclear sites in Natanz and Isfahan, the US official said.
A B-2 bomber also dropped two MOPs on Natanz, the official told CNN.
The specifics of the strike were first reported by The New York Times.
The B-2 is known for its flying wing design, radar-evading features and long-range capability.
It can carry a 40,000-pound payload and costs around $2 billion per aircraft.
Only 20 exist, all based at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.
Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan are the backbone of the Iranian nuclear program, according to Western intelligence.
Isfahan is a research base. It's believed Iran was working towards the final step of putting weapons grade nuclear material into a war head for a nuclear weapon.
Natanz and Fordow are reportedly uranium enrichment facilities where centrifgues processed the radioavtice material.
The Fordow site is buried more than 90 metres underground inside a mountain.
Saturday's mission is believed to be the first operational use of the MOP bomb.
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Damage seen at Iranian nuclear site after US strikes
Satellite images are showing damage to Iran's underground nuclear site at Fordo, one of three facilities targetted by US airstrikes, in alliance with Israel's mission to destroy its foe's nuclear program. The images by Planet Labs PBC showed damage to the site's entryways and also to the mountain that Fordo is under. Sealing those entry tunnels means that Iran would have to dig out the facility to reach anything inside. In an address to the nation from the White House, US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites had been "completely and fully obliterated". Trump warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against US forces. "There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran," he said. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but insisted that its nuclear program will not be stopped. The International Atomic Energy Agency said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. Chief Rafael Grossi, has convened an emergency meeting of the nuclear watchdog. Leaders and international organisations around the globe are appealing for diplomacy to de-escalate the conflict. But Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the US strikes had 'launched a dangerous war' and blown up any possibility of diplomacy with the Americans or Europeans. "Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy," Araghchi wrote on X. "What conclusion would you draw?" Hours after the US attacks, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a barrage of 40 missiles at Israel, including its Khorramshahr-4, which can carry multiple warheads. Israeli authorities reported that more than 80 people suffered mostly minor injuries, though one multi-storey building in Tel Aviv was significantly damaged, with its facade torn away exposing the apartments inside. Houses across the street were almost completely destroyed. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had "swiftly neutralised" the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes toward military targets in western Iran. Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. However, Trump and Israeli leaders have argued it could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of Israeli strikes that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. After the airstrikes the US president posted: "This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!" Israel announced Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. The attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant built deep into a mountain, a US official said. In addition, US submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles. The decision to attack, taken without congressional approval, was a risky one for Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping the US out of costly foreign conflicts. But Trump also vowed that he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. After Israel began striking Iran, Trump went from publicly expressing hope that the moment could be a "second chance" for Iran to make a deal to delivering explicit threats on Khamenei and making calls for Tehran's unconditional surrender. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's decision saying the US "has done what no other country on earth could do." Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who had threatened to resume attacks on US vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel's military campaign, called on other Muslim nations to form "one front against the Zionist-American arrogance." Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 865 people and wounded 3,396 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group said of those dead, it identified 363 civilians and 215 security force personnel. Satellite images are showing damage to Iran's underground nuclear site at Fordo, one of three facilities targetted by US airstrikes, in alliance with Israel's mission to destroy its foe's nuclear program. The images by Planet Labs PBC showed damage to the site's entryways and also to the mountain that Fordo is under. Sealing those entry tunnels means that Iran would have to dig out the facility to reach anything inside. In an address to the nation from the White House, US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites had been "completely and fully obliterated". Trump warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against US forces. "There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran," he said. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but insisted that its nuclear program will not be stopped. The International Atomic Energy Agency said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. Chief Rafael Grossi, has convened an emergency meeting of the nuclear watchdog. Leaders and international organisations around the globe are appealing for diplomacy to de-escalate the conflict. But Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the US strikes had 'launched a dangerous war' and blown up any possibility of diplomacy with the Americans or Europeans. "Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy," Araghchi wrote on X. "What conclusion would you draw?" Hours after the US attacks, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a barrage of 40 missiles at Israel, including its Khorramshahr-4, which can carry multiple warheads. Israeli authorities reported that more than 80 people suffered mostly minor injuries, though one multi-storey building in Tel Aviv was significantly damaged, with its facade torn away exposing the apartments inside. Houses across the street were almost completely destroyed. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had "swiftly neutralised" the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes toward military targets in western Iran. Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. However, Trump and Israeli leaders have argued it could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of Israeli strikes that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. After the airstrikes the US president posted: "This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!" Israel announced Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. The attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant built deep into a mountain, a US official said. In addition, US submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles. The decision to attack, taken without congressional approval, was a risky one for Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping the US out of costly foreign conflicts. But Trump also vowed that he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. After Israel began striking Iran, Trump went from publicly expressing hope that the moment could be a "second chance" for Iran to make a deal to delivering explicit threats on Khamenei and making calls for Tehran's unconditional surrender. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's decision saying the US "has done what no other country on earth could do." Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who had threatened to resume attacks on US vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel's military campaign, called on other Muslim nations to form "one front against the Zionist-American arrogance." Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 865 people and wounded 3,396 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group said of those dead, it identified 363 civilians and 215 security force personnel. Satellite images are showing damage to Iran's underground nuclear site at Fordo, one of three facilities targetted by US airstrikes, in alliance with Israel's mission to destroy its foe's nuclear program. The images by Planet Labs PBC showed damage to the site's entryways and also to the mountain that Fordo is under. Sealing those entry tunnels means that Iran would have to dig out the facility to reach anything inside. In an address to the nation from the White House, US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites had been "completely and fully obliterated". Trump warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against US forces. "There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran," he said. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but insisted that its nuclear program will not be stopped. The International Atomic Energy Agency said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. Chief Rafael Grossi, has convened an emergency meeting of the nuclear watchdog. Leaders and international organisations around the globe are appealing for diplomacy to de-escalate the conflict. But Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the US strikes had 'launched a dangerous war' and blown up any possibility of diplomacy with the Americans or Europeans. "Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy," Araghchi wrote on X. "What conclusion would you draw?" Hours after the US attacks, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a barrage of 40 missiles at Israel, including its Khorramshahr-4, which can carry multiple warheads. Israeli authorities reported that more than 80 people suffered mostly minor injuries, though one multi-storey building in Tel Aviv was significantly damaged, with its facade torn away exposing the apartments inside. Houses across the street were almost completely destroyed. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had "swiftly neutralised" the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes toward military targets in western Iran. Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. However, Trump and Israeli leaders have argued it could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of Israeli strikes that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. After the airstrikes the US president posted: "This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!" Israel announced Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. The attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant built deep into a mountain, a US official said. In addition, US submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles. The decision to attack, taken without congressional approval, was a risky one for Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping the US out of costly foreign conflicts. But Trump also vowed that he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. After Israel began striking Iran, Trump went from publicly expressing hope that the moment could be a "second chance" for Iran to make a deal to delivering explicit threats on Khamenei and making calls for Tehran's unconditional surrender. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's decision saying the US "has done what no other country on earth could do." Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who had threatened to resume attacks on US vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel's military campaign, called on other Muslim nations to form "one front against the Zionist-American arrogance." Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 865 people and wounded 3,396 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group said of those dead, it identified 363 civilians and 215 security force personnel. Satellite images are showing damage to Iran's underground nuclear site at Fordo, one of three facilities targetted by US airstrikes, in alliance with Israel's mission to destroy its foe's nuclear program. The images by Planet Labs PBC showed damage to the site's entryways and also to the mountain that Fordo is under. Sealing those entry tunnels means that Iran would have to dig out the facility to reach anything inside. In an address to the nation from the White House, US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites had been "completely and fully obliterated". Trump warned there would be additional strikes if Tehran retaliated against US forces. "There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran," he said. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but insisted that its nuclear program will not be stopped. The International Atomic Energy Agency said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. Chief Rafael Grossi, has convened an emergency meeting of the nuclear watchdog. Leaders and international organisations around the globe are appealing for diplomacy to de-escalate the conflict. But Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on X that the US strikes had 'launched a dangerous war' and blown up any possibility of diplomacy with the Americans or Europeans. "Last week, we were in negotiations with the US when Israel decided to blow up that diplomacy. This week, we held talks with the E3/EU when the US decided to blow up that diplomacy," Araghchi wrote on X. "What conclusion would you draw?" Hours after the US attacks, Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it launched a barrage of 40 missiles at Israel, including its Khorramshahr-4, which can carry multiple warheads. Israeli authorities reported that more than 80 people suffered mostly minor injuries, though one multi-storey building in Tel Aviv was significantly damaged, with its facade torn away exposing the apartments inside. Houses across the street were almost completely destroyed. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had "swiftly neutralised" the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes toward military targets in western Iran. Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. However, Trump and Israeli leaders have argued it could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of Israeli strikes that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. After the airstrikes the US president posted: "This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!" Israel announced Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. The attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant built deep into a mountain, a US official said. In addition, US submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles. The decision to attack, taken without congressional approval, was a risky one for Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping the US out of costly foreign conflicts. But Trump also vowed that he would not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon. After Israel began striking Iran, Trump went from publicly expressing hope that the moment could be a "second chance" for Iran to make a deal to delivering explicit threats on Khamenei and making calls for Tehran's unconditional surrender. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Trump's decision saying the US "has done what no other country on earth could do." Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, who had threatened to resume attacks on US vessels in the Red Sea if the Trump administration joined Israel's military campaign, called on other Muslim nations to form "one front against the Zionist-American arrogance." Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 865 people and wounded 3,396 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group said of those dead, it identified 363 civilians and 215 security force personnel.
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an hour ago
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Democrats call for Donald Trump impeachment for attacks in Iran
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The Age
an hour ago
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How Iran could hit back after US strike
The US military has a presence at no fewer than 20 bases in the Middle East and the surrounding regions. The majority of these would be within the 2000-kilometre range of Iran's Sejil-2 ballistic missile. American bases in Iraq and Syria would be likely to be first on the hit list, with Tehran then turning its attention to outposts in Arab countries. Any attempt to strike US military facilities in the Middle East is likely to be less effective than the ballistic missile attack on two US bases in Iraq in January 2020 to avenge the assassination of Qassem Soleimani ordered by Trump at the end of his first term. Although the attacks on the two American bases caused no fatalities, partly because Iran had issued a warning, 110 servicemen suffered concussions and other brain injuries because of the force of the impact. So great was the extent of the damage that it may have deterred Trump from retaliating. Washington also has two hulking aircraft carriers, with a third en route, deployed to the Middle East, which would be considered prime targets for Iranian missiles. Targets Israel has proven just how hard ballistic missiles, which are fired up high into the Earth's atmosphere before travelling to the ground at supersonic speeds, can be to intercept, even with what is considered one of the most sophisticated air defence systems in the world. The US military possesses at least two tried and tested surface-to-air systems capable of intercepting ballistic missiles – Patriot and Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, known as THAAD. Loading And they've slowly been redeploying these systems from Asia to the Middle East for months amid mounting tensions between its ally, Israel, and Iran and its Islamist proxies. America's bases in Iraq – Erbil and Ain al‑Asad air bases – have Patriot batteries positioned, which have been used to fend off militant attacks. American commanders also ordered Patriots to be removed from South Korea and placed at Isa Air Base, Bahrain, and Al Udeid Air Base in recent months. Capacity Of course, mass barrages of ballistic missiles can confuse and overwhelm these systems, as witnessed in both Israel and Ukraine. US servicemen and women will, however, be quietly confident that the Israel Defence Force has significantly reduced Iran's capacity to launch hundreds of missiles at once. Iranian salvos have drastically shrunk in size in recent days. What started as 100-projectile blitzes aimed at Israel has been reduced to just dozens of missiles being fired off at any one time. Iran's production capacity has been significantly eroded, with Israel striking various elements of the supply chain in recent days. Loading Fabian Hoffmann, a missile expert, said: 'Iran is heavily constricted in the missile domain. 'The likelihood that Iran can cause a large amount of damage is very, very slim. 'It could also be counterproductive because if you strike American infrastructure, there will be an even greater cost because you risk the Americans getting involved and really getting involved. So I think that's also a huge political consideration.' Proxies Iran's network of regional proxies was always considered its first line of defence. Hezbollah and Hamas were responsible for keeping Israel's military occupied and unable to strike at the Islamic Republic. The Yemen-based Houthi rebels also distracted the West by targeting commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Militants armed by Iran have been responsible for deadly attacks on the US base in Iraq, using one-way attack drones. It's most likely that the Houthi rebels will once again resume targeting American shipping containers travelling through the Red Sea. The militants had briefly paused attacks on American ships after Trump ramped up strikes on the group. In Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah could likely carry out its threat to 'act directly against its [US] interests and bases across the region'. But Israel's decimation of these proxy groups – chiefly Hamas and Hezbollah – in the past year is one saving grace that will comfort the Americans. 'The fact that virtually the only missiles and drones that are launched against Israel right now are coming from Iran is striking,' said Dmitri Alperovitch, chair of the Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank in Washington. Strait of Hormuz Tucked between the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf's western flank lies one of Tehran's most powerful weapons against the West. Nothing hurts a government more than the price of oil, and this narrow stretch of water between Oman and Iran is vital in the global supply. The Islamic Republic has the means to effectively shut down access to the strait, crippling shipping through the region because there are no alternative routes. The threat of its closure is perhaps why the USS Nimitz, one of America's largest aircraft carriers, is being moved into the region. Iran could quite easily close the strait by mining it, repositioning mobile ballistic missile launchers, and using maritime drones. It employed similar tactics during the so-called Tanker Wars of the 1980s – although it never fully succeeded, largely due to UK Royal Navy and later US Navy efforts to escort commercial vessels through the Gulf. This, US officials fear, would keep American naval warships in the Persian Gulf. 'Mine clearance is one of the US Navy's few weaknesses,' Tom Sharpe, a former Royal Navy officer, wrote in The Telegraph this week. For Tehran, closing the strait is one of the most likely ways of bringing the US into the conflict. Trump was happy to expend billions of dollars in strikes against Houthi rebels, the Iranian-backed militia, when they attempted to snarl up Western shipping through the Red Sea. The US president is acutely aware of global oil prices, and with a fifth of global petroleum shipped through Hormuz, any blockages would be likely to lead to him sanctioning some strikes to restore shipping. The other fact that makes this option particularly nuclear for Tehran is that China, the largest buyer of Iranian oil, uses the strait for shipping its purchases. This hasn't stopped Iran from meddling with shipping through GPS navigation interference. Two tankers collided and caught fire on the narrow stretch of water after allegedly being impacted by the disruption. US officials have claimed the GPS meddling originated from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, located just north of the strait. Some analysts believe Iran is unlikely to carry out such threats, fearing it would provoke Arab states into the conflict and complete Tehran's global isolation. Oil fields If the Iranian regime believed it faced an existential crisis or the irreversible destruction of its nuclear program, it could play what analysts describe as its 'last big card' by also attacking energy infrastructure in the Gulf. The world got a glimpse of what could be to come in 2019 when drone and missile strikes hit the Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility – but both the US and Saudi governments accused Iran of orchestrating the attacks. Loading The attacks temporarily knocked out half of Saudi Arabia's oil production, triggering a sharp spike in global energy prices. Abqaiq, which processes 7 million barrels of crude a day – more than two-thirds of Saudi Arabia's production capacity – would almost certainly be a prime target if Iran followed through on its threats. Other potential targets include oil and LNG terminals in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as oil tankers moving through the region's waters. In May 2019, limpet mines damaged three tankers and a bunkering ship off the coast of Fujairah in the UAE. No one claimed responsibility, but Western officials suspected Iranian frogmen were behind the attacks. Cyber Over the years, Iran and its regional proxies have claimed responsibility for numerous cyberattacks against Israel. They include destroying data, phishing campaigns and information operations. Given the threat poses a danger to both civilian and military worlds, the US government has been appealing for information on Iranian hackers responsible for targeting critical infrastructure. A $US10 million ($15.5 million) reward was posted for details on a group, known as CyberAv3ngers, who US officials have linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
