Inside ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’: US Stealthy Strike on Fordo, Natanz, Isfahan/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ U.S. B‑2 stealth bombers delivered 14 massive 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Fordo and Natanz in coordination with over two dozen submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles at Isfahan. The nine-day buildup included decoy flights from Missouri and a tightly held secret to preserve strategic surprise. This marked the largest-ever B‑2 operation and one of the longest missions in history—completed without detection or Iranian retaliation.
Quick Look
- What happened? Operation Midnight Hammer combined B‑2 bombers, cruise missiles, tankers, and fighters to hit Iran’s buried nuclear sites.
- How it succeeded? Strategic misdirection tactics like decoy flights and minimal communication kept the mission undetected.
- Scale and impact: Seventy-five guided weapons delivered via 125 aircraft triggered one of the stealthiest, largest-ever airstrikes in U.S. history.
Inside ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’: US Stealthy Strike on Fordo, Natanz, Isfahan
Deep Look
A Long‑Planned Special Mission
Dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, the mission represented years of planning. U.S. air power leaders viewed it as a “precision strike” capable of “devastating the Iranian nuclear program.” The strategy followed a nine-day campaign by Israel that crippled Iran’s air defenses and military command structure .
Decoy Tactics for Maximum Surprise
Weeks before the strike, President Trump publicly referenced a decision window of two weeks, underscoring concealed intentions. On mission day, seven B‑2s departed Missouri with full payloads while others flew without munitions as decoys. Only select military and Washington-based planners were in the loop, ensuring minimal leaks .
Stealth In, Stealth Out
After an 18-hour flight with multiple refuelings, the bombers entered the Eastern Mediterranean undetected. Stealth fighters provided escort. The route—likely over Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq—remained off official notice, and Iran failed to detect or respond to the approaching strike force .
Massive Ordnance, Coordinated Strike
At 2:10 a.m. Tehran time, B‑2s dropped GBU‑57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators on Fordo and Natanz. Simultaneously, a U.S. naval submarine launched 24+ Tomahawk cruise missiles at Isfahan. These bunker-busters are designed to penetrate hardened underground facilities before detonating .
Record-Breaking Scale
The strike involved 75 precision bombs and missiles, with 125 aircraft in play—including refueling tankers and escorts. Military officials called it the largest B‑2 deployment in history and the second-longest mission ever recorded .
Pilot’s Profile
While most bomber crews were male, one woman pilot took part in the mission, highlighting greater female representation in critical operational roles .
Iran’s Response and Fallout
Tehran denies major damage; the International Atomic Energy Agency reported no immediate radiation risk. Iran pledged retaliation, but could not intercept the stealthy American jets during the operation .
Strategic Implications
This extraordinarily covert and powerful strike aims to significantly delay Iran’s nuclear ambitions without triggering open conflict. Military officials characterize it as a lethal message backed by readiness to repeat if diplomacy fails .
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