The Pentagon has released new operational details about the recent U.S. airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities—describing it as one of the most complex and secretive missions in modern military history. Dubbed “Operation Midnight Hammer,” the strike involved the use of 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, stealth bombers, and submarine-launched cruise missiles aimed at destroying deeply buried uranium enrichment sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
💣 First Combat Use of GBU-57 “Bunker Buster”
According to senior U.S. defense officials, seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers dropped 14 GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators—the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the American arsenal. Designed specifically to destroy fortified underground targets, the GBU-57 was used for the first time in active combat.
These bombs were aimed at Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, which lies deep inside a mountain. Pentagon officials confirmed that the bombs were fine-tuned with delayed fuses, allowing them to penetrate deeply before detonating underground, minimizing visible surface damage while collapsing key infrastructure below.
🚀 Cruise Missiles and Air Superiority
The strike also involved 30+ Tomahawk missiles launched from U.S. Navy submarines positioned in the Persian Gulf. More than 125 aircraft—including fighter escorts, refuelers, and electronic warfare planes—supported the coordinated assault.
Despite Iranian claims that damage was minimal, Pentagon-released satellite imagery and new classified footage suggest significant structural collapse at both Fordow and Natanz, especially in centrifuge halls located deep underground.
🧠 Intelligence Confirms Partial Success
The CIA and IAEA confirmed the destruction of critical equipment and a large portion of Iran’s uranium enrichment capacity. However, intelligence assessments also warn that Iran’s nuclear program may only be delayed by several months, not years.
Defense Intelligence Agency analysts noted that Iran still retains its scientific expertise, stockpiled low-enriched uranium, and hidden infrastructure that may allow it to resume operations quickly.
🔥 White House Pushes Back on Doubts
President Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have pushed back hard against media reports questioning the strike’s effectiveness. In a televised briefing, Hegseth said:
“There are no craters on the surface—because that’s not where the bombs exploded. They did exactly what they were built for: destroy Iran’s most secure nuclear tunnels.”
He also denied reports that Iran had relocated equipment ahead of the strike, calling such claims “false and politically motivated.”
🌍 Regional Fallout and Ceasefire Risks
In retaliation, Iran fired missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, home to thousands of U.S. troops. U.S. Patriot missile defense systems successfully intercepted the attack, but tensions in the region remain dangerously high. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has vowed further retaliation and declared the U.S. strike a “strategic failure.”
✅ Bottom Line
The Pentagon’s newly revealed details confirm the scale, precision, and technological power of the U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. While the operation achieved tactical success, the long-term strategic outcome remains uncertain. With Iran threatening more retaliation and its nuclear infrastructure partially intact, the world is watching whether this was a decisive blow—or merely a delay in a growing nuclear standoff.
