Not through Pakistan or Afghanistan..., How did B-2 bombers reach Iran? US reveals secret strike route, says it flew across...

India.com

4 days ago

Not through Pakistan or Afghanistan..., How did B-2 bombers reach Iran? US reveals secret strike route, says it flew across...
The United States surprised the world by launching a missile attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Along with the strike, the U.S. officially announced that it is joining Israel in its war against Iran. According to American officials, they used their powerful 'bunker-buster' bombs to destroy Iran's Fordow nuclear enrichment site. These bombs are designed to hit underground targets and can only be dropped by the U.S.'s highly advanced B-2 stealth bombers. The U.S. is the only country in the world capable of using this combination in actual combat.
This raised an important question: how did the B-2 bombers travel all the way from the U.S. to Iran? US dropped 14 bombs on Iran
At a press conference held after the attack, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Air Force General Dan Kane, who is also the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, shared details of the mission.
General Kane said that 14 bombs were dropped on Iran, targeting Fordow and several other locations. He also showed a map during the briefing, revealing the route taken by the B-2 bombers from the U.S. to Iran.
He added that only a few top American officials in Washington and Tampa knew about the plan in advance. The mission was kept highly secret. To make the long journey possible, the B-2 bombers were refueled multiple times in mid-air during the flight. How US B-2 bombers reached Iran from America: Full route revealed
During a press conference, US military officials shared a map showing the exact path taken by the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers during the surprise attack on Iran's nuclear sites.
According to the briefing, the bombers took off from the United States, flew across the North Atlantic Ocean, and passed through the Strait of Gibraltar. From there, they stayed mostly in international airspace, avoiding any country's direct territory as much as possible.
Next, the bombers flew between Spain and North Africa, crossing over the Mediterranean Sea. After that, they entered Israeli airspace, passed through Jordan, and then Iraq, before finally reaching their targets in Iran. Once the bombing mission was complete, they turned around and flew back safely. Seven B-2 bombers carried out the Iran strike
General Dan Kane revealed that seven B-2 Spirit bombers were used in the main attack force. Each aircraft was flown by two crew members.
To avoid being detected or intercepted, the pilots kept radio communication to a minimum during the mission. The bombers made 18 passes over the target areas to deliver their payloads and then returned to base.
The mission was codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer by the U.S. military. Three Iranian nuclear sites destroyed
General Kane told reporters that early assessments show that three major Iranian nuclear facilities suffered severe damage in the attack. This mission could have far-reaching consequences. It might hurt chances of Iran joining future peace talks on its nuclear program, and it risks pulling the US deeper into another conflict in the Middle East.
The bombs used in the strike were a special kind known as 'bunker-busters.' These are designed to penetrate deep underground before exploding, making them perfect for destroying hidden or reinforced facilities. In this case, the U.S. used its most advanced version, the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, one of the most powerful weapons in its arsenal.