Iran caught off guard as B-2 stealth bombers strike in largest operation of its kind
WASHINGTON – The U.S. assault on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, dubbed Operation “Midnight Hammer,” began with a carefully orchestrated deception that left Iranian air defenses blind and unresponsive, U.S. officials revealed Sunday.
While a visible group of B-2 bombers departed Missouri and flew west toward Guam—a move widely interpreted by analysts as possible pre-positioning—the real strike force of seven stealth B-2s flew eastward, undetected, maintaining radio silence and refueling mid-air during an 18-hour flight.
As the bombers approached Iranian airspace, a U.S. submarine launched over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles, targeting radar and defense systems. Simultaneously, U.S. fighter jets flew as decoys to draw any Iranian attention or response, which never came.
This coordinated strike, which targeted Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, was the largest operational deployment of B-2 bombers in history, involving more than 125 U.S. military aircraft, according to the Pentagon.
The bombers released 14 GBU-57 “Massive Ordnance Penetrators”, each weighing 30,000 pounds, designed to destroy fortified underground structures.
From a U.S. military standpoint, officials declared the mission a tactical triumph.
“Iran’s fighters didn’t take off, and their surface-to-air missile systems never detected us,” said General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “We retained complete surprise.”
Caine said preliminary assessments show severe destruction at all three sites, though he declined to comment on whether Iran retains any nuclear capability.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was more direct:
“We made sure Iran’s nuclear program was crippled.”
The highly classified operation was known to only a handful of officials in Washington, with many learning of it when President Donald Trump announced it on social media Saturday night, according to Caine.
Hegseth confirmed the military had been preparing the option for months, but final execution came together in just a few weeks.
Fallout and Forward Planning
As the dust settles, Gulf nations hosting U.S. bases remain on high alert, bracing for possible Iranian retaliation. The U.S. military has dispersed key assets across the Middle East and raised force protection levels for personnel.
While the Trump administration insists it is not seeking a broader war, Hegseth said messages were quietly sent to Tehran, urging restraint and offering a path to negotiations.
Still, Trump issued a warning:
“If Iran retaliates, we are ready to strike again—with even more force.”
“Iran would be smart to take the President seriously,” Hegseth added. “He means it.”
With Tehran yet to issue a formal response beyond condemnation, global attention now turns to what Iran does next—and how far the conflict could escalate.
