The Pentagon has released information concerning its ‘strike package’ following President Donald Trump’s confirmation that the US had conducted bombings on three of Iran’s critical nuclear sites.
The Department of Defense reported that the strike on Iran occurred around 5.00pm Eastern Time yesterday, equating to 12.30am local time in Iran, with the last missiles delivered by approximately 7.05pm Eastern Time, or 2.35am local time.
President Trump, 79, described the mission as a ‘very successful attack on the three nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan’ via Truth Social. He further asserted in an address to the nation that Iran’s principal nuclear enrichment facilities had been ‘completely and totally obliterated.’
Iranian authorities acknowledged that the three sites were targeted but refuted claims of any significant damage. In response, Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi warned that the US actions would have ‘everlasting consequences,’ labeling them as ‘extremely dangerous, lawless, and criminal.’
In a press briefing at the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that US stealth bombers executed their mission undetected under the operation named Midnight Hammer.
“Our B-2s went in and out of these nuclear sites, in and out and back without the world knowing at all – in that way it was historic,” he remarked.
Yet, numerous individuals posted videos of these B-2 stealth bombers on Twitter, raising questions about their stealth capabilities.
One user commented: “How is it stealth and invisible if random people see them and post on X?”
Another added: “‘Stealth’ meanwhile the whole world knows.”
Air Force General Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, provided a detailed account of the attack plan which involved more than 125 aircraft, some operating as decoys, and the deployment of 75 precision-guided weapons.
“At midnight, Friday into Saturday morning, a large B-2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States,” he explained.
“To maintain tactical surprise, part of the package headed west into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to a select few planners and key leaders in Washington and Tampa.”
The B-2 bombers took 18 hours to reach Iran, refueling multiple times during the journey.
Caine continued: “At approximately 5.00pm Eastern Standard Time, prior to the strike package entering Iran, a US submarine launched over two dozen tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key targets at Esfahan, as ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’ commenced in Iranian airspace.
“The US used several deception tactics, including decoys, with fourth and fifth generation aircraft advancing ahead of the strike package at high altitudes and speeds to counter enemy fighters and surface-to-air missile threats.”
“On approaching Fordow and Natanz, the US protection package used high-speed suppression weapons to ensure the strike package’s safe passage, with fighter assets deploying preemptive fires against potential Iranian Surface to Air threats.”
He also noted that no shots were fired at the strike package during its ingress and egress from the country.
“At about 6:40pm Eastern Standard Time, 2:10am Iran time, the lead B-2 dropped two GBU-57 massive ordinance penetrator [GBU-57 MOP – also known as a bunker buster bomb] weapons on the primary targets at Fordow,” Caine informed reporters.
“As the president noted, the remaining bombers successfully hit their targets, with a total of 14 MOPs deployed against two nuclear target areas.
“All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6:40pm and 7:05pm Eastern Time, which is around 2.10am local Iran time, with the tomahawk missiles being the last to hit Esfahan, ensuring the operation maintained an element of surprise throughout.”
Caine added that US forces deployed ‘approximately 75 precision-guided weapons’ during the mission, including 14 GBU-57 MOPs, each weighing 30,000lbs.
The operation involved over 125 US aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, various generations of fighters, numerous air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine, a comprehensive array of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, alongside hundreds of maintenance and operational personnel, Caine stated.