US B-2 Bombers flew non-stop for 37 hours, refuelled mid air before hitting nuclear plants in Iran

In a dramatic show of force, US B-2 Spirit stealth bombers flew non-stop for nearly 37 hours from Missouri to carry out what former President Donald Trump hailed as a "very successful attack" on Iran's nuclear programme early Sunday.

The bombers, refuelling multiple times mid-air, targeted three major Iranian nuclear sites — Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan — with a combination of bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles.

“Fordow is gone,” Trump declared, referring to Iran’s heavily fortified underground nuclear facility. Calling the mission an “amazing success,” he warned Tehran to “make peace immediately or they’ll get hit again.”

According to Trump, six bunker-busters were deployed on the Fordow site, while approximately 30 Tomahawk missiles struck Natanz and Esfahan. The operation marked one of the most direct US military actions against Iran in recent years.

The US B-2, built by Northrop Grumman, stands as the most expensive military aircraft ever constructed, with each unit costing around $2.1 billion. Designed with advanced stealth capabilities, the bomber entered production in the late 1980s. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union led to a dramatic scale-back of the Pentagon's original plans, resulting in only 21 aircraft being produced.

The B-2 can carry America's heaviest payloads, including the bunker-busting GBU-57 -- the only weapon capable of destroying Iran's deeply buried nuclear facility in Fordo.