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USA Today
6 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
30,000-pound bunker busters used for first time in Iran nuclear facility strikes
"Operation Midnight Hammer," the U.S. strikes on three of Iran's nuclear facilities, used more than a dozen 30,000-pound "bunker busters." The U.S. used more than a dozen multi-million-dollar, 30,000-pound "bunker busters" to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities in a June 21 stealth strike, marking the weapon's first operational use, according to the Pentagon. In what the Trump administration dubbed "Operation Midnight Hammer," U.S. bomber planes dropped 14 of the massive bombs on three of Iran's nuclear facilities, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine told reporters on June 22. The bombs used in the strikes, called Massive Ordnance Penetrators, or MOPs, weigh 30,000 pounds each and cost millions to produce. MOPs, also known as the Guided Bomb Unit, or GBU-57, are GPS-guided weapons designed to burrow deep into underground targets, like fortified tunnels or bunkers. The bombs are around 20 feet long and span six feet at their widest point. The three nuclear sites – Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan – sustained "extremely severe damage and destruction," according to initial assessments, Caine said. While Israel has bunker-busters a fraction of its weight, only the MOP has the capability to destroy or severely damage Iran's nuclear facilities, experts previously told USA TODAY. Boeing won $70 million contracts for bunker busters It's unclear exactly how much the MOP costs, but defense contracts to produce them have been worth tens of millions. The Department of Defense in 2019 handed Boeing $70 million to work on the weapons at its St. Louis facility. The company won updated contracts for MOP production worth more than $77 million in 2021. 'Largest' B-2 strike in history The B-2 bomber is the only aircraft capable of carrying the massive MOPs – each bomber can hold a pair of the bombs. Seven B-2 bombers flew the 14 bombs to Iran from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, but more than 125 aircraft were involved in the mission, according to Caine. "This was the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history and the second longest B-2 mission ever flown," Caine said. The Air Force ran five successful test drops of the bombs at New Mexico's White Sands Missile Range in 2012 – three with live warheads, and two with inert warheads.
Business Insider
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
How the US military tricked everyone to surprise Iran with B-2 bomber strikes on its nuclear sites
US military leaders banked on military deception to get bombers into Iran for surprise strikes on its nuclear program, the secretary of defense and the top US general shared Sunday. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine detailed the complexity of the mission, which centered on tactical surprise, at a rare Pentagon press briefing Sunday morning. The operation — Midnight Hammer — began late Friday night when a "large strike package" of bomber aircraft took off from Missouri. Reports came out Saturday about B-2 bombers flying toward Guam in the Western Pacific. The movements are now known to have been part of an intentional effort to misdirect attention. Over the weekend, "part of the package proceeded to the West and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort, known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa," Caine said, referring to Central Command's US headquarters in Florida. While those aircraft flew to the Pacific theater, the main effort, seven B-2 Spirit bombers and numerous refueling aircraft needed to keep the bombers airborne, flew east to Iran, an 18-hour flight to the target area. The bombers were heading for Fordow and Natanz. As the main effort aircraft approached the Middle East, the US deployed even more decoy aircraft to draw attention away from the bombers. According to military doctrine, deception operations are normally deployed to cause ambiguity or confusion. That can include intentional misallocating personnel or equipment. Meanwhile, just before the aircraft entered Iranian airspace, a nearby US submarine readied two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles for strikes on Esfahan, Caine said. Caine noted that bomber pilots used minimal communications throughout the duration, likely to minimize any risks of highlighting their presence, and quietly joined with nearby escort aircraft before proceeding to bombing sites. Pressing in, "fourth and fifth generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed," he said, "sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface-to-air missile threats." "US protection package employed high-speed suppression weapons to ensure safe passage of the strike package with fighter assets employing preemptive suppressing fires against any potential Iranian Surface to Air threats," Caine said of efforts US forces took to mitigate threats to the bombers. Military leaders are not aware of any Iranian attempts to engage US aircraft. A total of 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs were used against two nuclear sites, he said. The third, Esfahan, sustained strikes from the submarine's Tomahawks, fired only after the bombers had completed strikes against the other two locations to maintain the element of surprise. Over 125 US aircraft participated in the mission — bombers, fighter aircraft, dozens of refueling tankers, and various intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft, Caine said. "In total, US forces employed approximately 75 precision-guided weapons during this operation," Caine said. Hegseth called the mission "an incredible and overwhelming success," though both men acknowledged that it is still too early to discern the full extent of the damage to facilities and to what extent the degradation could impact Iran's ability to rebuild. "This is a plan that took months and weeks of positioning and preparation so that we could be ready when the President of the United States called," Hegseth said. It took a great deal of precision. It involved misdirection, and the highest of operational security." The operation marked the first combat use of the GBU-57 MOP, which weighs 30,000 lbs and can only be carried by the B-2 Spirit bomber aircraft. The heavy weapon is designed to penetrate the most fortified bunkers, including those located deep underground. Pentagon leadership said that the strike mission has reinforced American deterrence. It's unclear how Iran may respond. "I think Tehran is certainly calculating the reality that planes flew from the middle of America in Missouri overnight, completely undetected over three of the most highly sensitive sites, and we were able to destroy nuclear capabilities," Hegseth told reporters. "We believe that will have a clear psychological impact on how they view the future, and we certainly hope they take the path to negotiate peace."
West Australian
8 hours ago
- Politics
- West Australian
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has called the attack on Iran a success with ‘severe damage and destruction'
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth says Midnight Hammer 'did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people' with a senior Air Force general warning it would be an 'incredibly poor choice' for Iran and its proxies to retaliate. The US launched overnight strikes on three Iranian facilities — Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow — joining Israel's push to cripple Tehran's nuclear program. In an address to media at the Pentagon on Sunday evening (Australian time), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine outlined the operation and said all three nuclear sites sustained 'extremely severe damage and destruction'. 'At midnight Friday into Saturday morning, a large B-2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States,' he said. 'As part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the West and into the Pacific as a decoy; a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa. 'The main strike package, comprised of seven B-2 spirit bombers, each with two crew members, proceeded quietly to the east with minimal communications. 'Once over land, the B-2s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed manoeuvre requiring exact synchronisation across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications. 'At approximately 5pm EST last night, and just prior to the strike package entering Iran, a US submarine in the Central Command Area of Responsibility launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets at Isfahan. 'As the operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace, the US employed several deception tactics including decoys as the fourth and fifth generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed.' Mr Caine said the US dropped two GBU-57 series MOP weapons on 'several aim points' at Isfahan at about 6.40pm EST. 'The remaining bombers then hit their targets as well, with a total of 14 MOPs dropped against two nuclear target areas,' he said. Mr Caine said all three nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6.40pm and 7.05pm EST. 'The Tomahawk missiles (were) the last to strike at Isfahan to ensure we retain the element of surprise throughout the operation,' he said. 'Following weapons release, the Midnight Hammer strike package exited Iranian airspace and the package began its return home. 'We are unaware of any shots fired at the package on the way out ... we retained the element of surprise.' Mr Caine said the US deployed up to 125 aircrafts and 75 precision guided weapons. 'This included fourteen 30,000 pound GBU-57 MOPs marking the first ever operational use of this weapon,' he said. 'Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction. 'More than 125 US aircraft participated in this mission including B-2 stealth bombers, multiple flights of fourth and fifth generation fighters, dozens of air refuelling tankers, a guided missile submarine and a full array of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as hundreds of maintenance and operational professionals.' Mr Caine said the US remained on 'high alert' and was 'fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks' — a move he warned would be 'an incredibly poor choice'. 'We will defend ourselves,' he said. 'The safety of our service members and civilians remains our highest priority. 'This mission demonstrates the unmatched reach co-ordination and capability of the United States military.' Mr Hegseth said the attack had 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear ambitions but said it 'did not attack Iranian troops or the Iranian people'. 'We devastated the Iranian nuclear program but it's worth noting the operation did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people,' he said. 'For the entirety of his time in office, President Trump has consistently stated for over 10 years that Iran must not get a nuclear weapon. 'Thanks to President Trump's bold and visionary leadership and his commitment to peace through strength, Iran's nuclear ambitions have been obliterated.'
New York Post
9 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Inside Operation Midnight Hammer: US dropped 14 bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordow nuke site in biggest ever B-2 raid
The US strike on Iranian nuclear sites — dubbed 'Operation Midnight Hammer' — was the biggest ever attack by B-2 stealth bombers, and the longest flight the aircraft have made since 2001. It also marked the first time that the US used the massive, 15-ton GBU-57 bunker buster bombs in anger — and the US used 14 of them. The highly coordinated strike took Tehran by utter surprise Saturday night, with the terrorist state not launching any attacks at incoming American military personnel, according to Chief of the Joint Staff Gen. Dan Caine. 3 The US' Satturday strike on Iranian nuclear sites was dubbed 'Operation Midnight Hammer.' Dept of Defense 'We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the US strike package on the way in,' he said during a press conference with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon Sunday. '… We are unaware of any shots fired at the package on the way out.' 'Iran's fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran's surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission. We retained the element of surprise,' he added. The 25-minute operation inside Iran began at 6:40 p.m. ET, with a lead American B-2 bomber dropped two GBU-57 'bunker buster' munitions on the 'first of several aim points at Fordow,' Caine said. 'The remaining bombers then hit their targets, as well, with a total of 14 MOPs (Massive Ordnance Penetrators) dropped against two nuclear target areas,' he said. 3 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine briefing on Iran strike. Getty Images 'All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6:40pm and 7:05pm ET.' The operation ended with a barrage of Tomahawk cruise missiles, fired from an American submarine, 'to ensure we retain the element of surprise throughout the operation.' Caine and Hegseth underscored the history-making nature of the strikes against Iran, noting that it was the first operational deployment of the GBU-57A/B MOP — the most powerful heavy-duty bunker buster bomb known to exist. 'It was historic, a strike that included the longest B-2 Spirit Bomber mission since 2001 and the first operational employment of the MOP, a massive ordinance penetrator,' Hegseth said. 3 Aerial view of the Fordow underground complex in Iran after airstrikes. MAXAR Technologies Caine also noted that Operation Midnight Hammer was the 'second longest B-2 mission ever flown, 'exceeded only by those in the days following 9/11.' 'The region, especially in Iraq, Syria and the Gulf, our forces remain on high alert and are fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks, which would be an incredibly poor choice,' Caine warned Iran.
Mint
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Inside the White House Situation Room as Trump meets top advisers amid Iran strikes
In Pics | Inside the White House Situation Room as Trump meets top advisers amid Iran strikes 7 Photos . Updated: 22 Jun 2025, 12:10 PM IST Share Via US President Donald Trump announced that the American military forces have struck three nuclear sites in Iran as the conflict enters its second week. The White House shared images of Trump in the Situation Room, accompanied by key advisers amid Iran strikes. 1/7As the US President Donald Trump announced airstrikes by US military forces at Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday night, the White House shared pictures from the situation room, where the President can be seen in a meeting with other key officials. (White House (X)) 2/7 Vice President JD Vance was present in the situation room, sitting next to the US President and accompanied him, while Trump was addressing the nation at 10 pm on Saturday night (US time). (White House (X)) 3/7Trump was wearing his usual 'Make America Great Again' red cap as he conducted discussions with his top advisers at the White House Situation Room. (White House (X)) 4/7Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine attended the discussions at the White House Situation Room. He is the highest-ranking military officer of the US and the principal military advisor to the President, Secretary of Defence, and National Security Council. Sitting next to Caine is Susie Wiles, the White House Chief of Staff, the first woman to take up the role. (White House (X)) 5/7Director of Central Intelligence Agency John Ratcliffe joined President Trump in the key discussions conducted at the White House Situation Room. A Texas Republican, Ratcliffe was Director of National Intelligence during Trump's first term and is the first person to have held both the posts. (White House (X)) 6/7US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was present at the White House Situation Room discussion. He was the first cabinet member who was confirmed in the second Trump Administration. (White House (X))
