U.S. strike on June 21 saw the United States launch large-scale attacks targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, deploying nearly the entire Northrop Grumman B-2 bomber fleet and utilizing over half of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) in its arsenal.
The day after the strike, Pentagon officials announced the operational specifics of Operation Midnight Hammer, which began with deceit. Earlier on June 21, several B-2s took out from their home base at Whiteman AFB in Missouri and headed west with refuelling tankers ready to support them. The flight was intentionally trackable as a deception. Shortly after, the genuine strike payload of seven B-2s headed east, across the Atlantic, past Iraqi territory, and finally into Iran late on June 21.
U.S. Strike Strategy Unveiled: Inside Operation Midnight Hammer
The primary attack package, once over land in the Middle East, linked up with escorts of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters sent to the region, Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on June 22. As the hit package approached Iranian airspace, US Navy destroyers and submarines launched a barrage of over two dozen RTX Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles at multiple locations.
As the aircraft approached Iran, the fighters flew high and fast, scanning for Iranian fighter aircraft and surface-to-air missile threats, which did not materialize.
“The U.S. strike protection package employed high-speed suppression weapons to ensure the safe passage of the strike package, with fighter assets deploying preemptive suppressing fires against any potential Iranian surface-to-air threats,” according to Caine.
During the U.S. strike, the lead B-2 bomber dropped two Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) on the Fordow enrichment plant, successfully hitting the first of multiple designated target points.
As the U.S. strike progressed, the remaining bombers followed in formation, unleashing 14 of the massive 30,000-pound bombs on two high-priority targets, marking one of the most significant air missions in recent military history.
“We are not aware of any shots fired at the item on the way out. Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it looks that Iran’s surface-to-air missile systems did not detect us during the mission,” Caine stated. “We retained the element of surprise.”
The mission involved a total of 125 aircraft, including bombers, fighters, refuelling tankers, and various support aircraft. Seventy-five precision-guided munitions were utilized, including MOPs, Tomahawks, and missiles designed to suppress enemy defences.
The mission was the B-2’s most significant operational strike in history, as well as the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown, according to Caine.
Following the unprecedented mission, US forces are bracing for a possible Iranian reprisal. Caine highlighted that the United States had already boosted its military posture at various facilities in the region. To maximize operational security, forces in the area other than those immediately supporting were not made aware of the strike plan.
Inside Washington, some politicians are concerned about the lack of notice before the walkout. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that Congressional leaders were informed of the mission once the aircraft had safely exited Iranian airspace.
Hegseth stated that the mission was intended to be limited despite the enormous quantity of explosives deployed. Military forces were not targeted, and messages were being sent to Iranian leaders to negotiate an end to the situation.
“This is most certainly not open-ended,” Hegseth stated. “This does not imply that it limits our ability to respond. “We will respond if necessary.”
Hegseth stated that Israel was not directly notified of the mission and that US planes took advantage of Israeli forces, weakening Iran’s surface-to-air missile threat.
The US attack was “a turning point,” Israeli Defense Forces Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said on June 22, stressing that he had been in frequent contact with Caine this week. “The campaign is ongoing, and we still have targets to strike and objectives to complete,” he noted.
Israel has continued its attacks on Iranian forces in recent days, which have now entered the second week. It utilized uncrewed aerial vehicles to kill 15 combat aircraft and attack helicopters, including F-14 and F-5 fighters stationed at air bases and AH-1 rotorcraft.
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