US shares first footage of B-2 stealth bombers used in strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities | WATCH

Washington: The United States has released new footage showing the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers that spearheaded a high-stakes aerial operation against Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. The mission, named ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ involved seven B-2 aircraft flying from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to Iranian targets and back, nearly 37 hours in total, with multiple mid-air refuellings.

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, described the highly classified operation as a “main strike package” composed of seven B-2s that departed from the US mainland and penetrated deep into Iranian airspace without being detected. “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,” Caine said.

The operation marked one of the most direct US military actions against Iran in recent memory. According to Caine, the B-2 bombers dropped 14 GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs, including six that were targeted at Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility, while US Navy submarines fired dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles at other sites.

US President Donald Trump hailed the operation as a success. “Fordow is gone,” he said in a televised statement. Describing the strike as an “amazing success,” Trump added, “make peace immediately or they’ll get hit again.”

Iran’s nuclear sites at Natanz and Isfahan were also targeted in the assault. US officials say the operation deployed approximately 75 precision-guided munitions, including more than two dozen Tomahawks launched from a submarine, and involved a total of 125 aircraft — bombers, fighters, and refuelling tankers.

The Pentagon confirmed that all B-2 bombers returned safely to Whiteman Air Force Base. The B-2, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, is widely considered the most advanced and costly military aircraft in the world, with each unit priced at around $2.1 billion. Only 21 were produced due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, which had initially driven the demand for such advanced platforms.

Designed for deep-penetration missions, the B-2 is capable of carrying the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the only US weapon reportedly powerful enough to damage facilities like Fordow. The bombs are designed to penetrate fortified targets before exploding, a capability that saw its first-ever use in combat during this mission.

Military sources revealed that the bombers, supported by stealth fighters and reconnaissance aircraft, launched their strike runs after reaching the Eastern Mediterranean undetected. The air assault was supported by deceptive tactics and decoys, and came after nine consecutive days of Israeli strikes that weakened Iran’s air defences and military command.

American military leaders said the Iranian military offered no significant response and failed to detect the incoming threat. “The operation relied on a series of deceptive tactics and decoys to maintain the secrecy,” said one US official.

The bombing reportedly lasted half an hour, ending with the cruise missiles fired from submarines. Despite Iran's claims that there was no significant damage, and assurances from the UN nuclear watchdog that no radioactive contamination had been observed, US defence officials insist that the nuclear programme has suffered a severe setback.

Iran has pledged retaliation but has yet to mount a military response.

(With inputs from AP)