In a dramatic show of force and military precision, the United States launched Operation Midnight Hammer on Saturday evening, decimating three of Iran’s most guarded nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—in just 25 minutes.
The Pentagon revealed the full scope of the operation in a press briefing Sunday, marking it as one of the most elaborate and daring US military missions in decades.
According to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the operation mobilised over 125 aircraft, including seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers armed with 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs, each weighing 30,000 pounds. These bombers flew out of Missouri, executing the longest B-2 mission since 9/11, and returned without encountering Iranian retaliation.
LIVE: @SECDEF Pete Hegseth and CJCS Gen. Dan Caine hold an on-camera press briefing at the Pentagon, June 22, 2025. https://t.co/QO17H1mmws
— Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) June 22, 2025
A sophisticated deception plan accompanied the strike, involving a decoy force flown into the Pacific to mislead Iranian defence systems. Simultaneously, a US submarine in the region launched two dozen Tomahawk missiles targeting Isfahan, further crippling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
From 6:40 pm to 7:05 pm ET, the bombers dropped their payloads with surgical precision. Fordow and Natanz were struck with bunker-busters, while Isfahan’s infrastructure was hit by cruise missiles. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth hailed the mission as a “devastating success,” declaring Iran’s nuclear program “obliterated.”
The operation follows weeks of rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly after Israeli-led operations targeting Iran’s missile and air defence systems. Iranian casualties are reported at over 430, with more than 3,500 injured, while 24 Israelis have been killed in retaliatory exchanges.
President Donald Trump, who authorised the mission from the White House Situation Room, reportedly made the final call just two days after signalling neutrality in Israel’s conflict with Iran.
As the geopolitical dust settles, Operation Midnight Hammer marks a volatile new chapter in US-Iran relations and Middle East stability.
