Washington D.C. – The United States has reportedly carried out a significant military operation against Iran, targeting key nuclear facilities with B-2 stealth bombers armed with powerful bunker-penetrating munitions.
The strikes, which former President Donald Trump announced, have targeted Iran’s nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This dramatic escalation inserts the U.S. directly into an ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, raising fears of a wider regional war.
In a statement, Trump declared the mission a “spectacular military success,” claiming that Iran’s “key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.” He added, “Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace. If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier.”
The operation reportedly involved the use of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), the most powerful conventional bunker buster in the U.S. arsenal.
This 30,000-pound bomb is designed to penetrate deeply buried and fortified targets, such as the Fordow facility, which is built into a mountain. The B-2 Spirit, a long-range stealth bomber, is the only aircraft capable of deploying the MOP.
Reports suggest that as many as six B-2 bombers were involved in the strikes, with some flying a non-stop 37-hour mission from their base in Missouri. In addition to the bunker busters, Tomahawk cruise missiles were reportedly fired from U.S. submarines at the Natanz and Isfahan sites.
The U.S. intervention follows a period of heightened tensions and military exchanges between Israel and Iran. Israel had been conducting its own campaign against Iranian nuclear and military targets.
However, it is believed that Israel lacked the specific “bunker buster” munitions required to destroy the heavily fortified Fordow site, leading to a request for American assistance.
The choice of weapons highlights the strategic importance of the targets. The GBU-57 MOP can reportedly penetrate up to 200 feet of earth or 60 feet of concrete before detonating, making it a formidable weapon against hardened underground facilities.
The B-2 bomber’s stealth capabilities, with a radar cross-section comparable to that of a small bird, allow it to penetrate sophisticated air defenses. Each B-2 is estimated to cost around $2.1 billion, making it the most expensive military aircraft ever built.
Iran has condemned the U.S. attacks. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated, “This aggression showed that the United States is the primary instigator of the Zionist regime’s hostile actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry declared that the U.S. has “launched a dangerous war against Iran” and asserted its right to retaliate.
The international community has reacted with concern, with calls for de-escalation and diplomacy. The long-term consequences of this military action remain to be seen, with analysts warning of the potential for a significant escalation of the conflict across the Middle East.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the American-led strikes, thanking President Trump for what he described as a move toward “peace through strength.” In a televised statement, Netanyahu said, “President Trump and I often say peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes peace.
And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.” He added that the U.S. operation was conducted in “full coordination” with the Israeli military
Opposition leader Yair Lapid also voiced his support, stating that the strikes averted a “nuclear arms race in the Middle East.”
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Iran swiftly condemned the U.S. attacks, with its leadership striking a defiant tone. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of committing a “grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations.”
He warned of “everlasting consequences” and asserted Iran’s right to self-defense, stating that Tehran “reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
Iran’s mission to the United Nations called for an emergency Security Council meeting to hold the U.S. accountable for its “heinous attacks and illegal use of force.”
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps issued a statement indicating that the U.S. had “practically placed itself at the forefront of aggression” and warned that American military bases in the region are now viewed as vulnerabilities.
Despite the severity of the attack, Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization claimed that the nuclear sites had been evacuated beforehand and that there were no signs of radiation contamination.
An Iranian parliament member representing the area near Fordow asserted that the damage was “only above ground and can be restored.” However, other reports from Iranian media described visible flames at the Fordow facility following the bombing.
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The international community has reacted with widespread concern, with numerous world leaders and organizations calling for restraint and a return to diplomacy.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “gravely alarmed” by the U.S. military action, warning that “there is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control — with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.”
Allies of Iran, including the Houthi rebels in Yemen and Hamas, condemned the “American aggression” and vowed to support Tehran. Meanwhile, several U.S. allies, while acknowledging the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program, urged for a de-escalation of hostilities and a diplomatic solution.
The long-term repercussions of this military intervention remain uncertain. Analysts are concerned that the strikes could trigger a dangerous cycle of retaliation, potentially drawing the U.S. into a prolonged and wider conflict across the Middle East.
