The United States has launched one of its largest aerial strikes in decades, targeting Iran's key nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the attack, named Operation Midnight Hammer, was “an incredible and overwhelming success,” carried out under the direct orders of US President Donald Trump.
“The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this President speaks, the world should listen,” Hegseth said during a press briefing on Sunday.
The mission, called “Operation Midnight Hammer”, involved decoys and deception, and met with no Iranian resistance, Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference.
“This mission was not and has not been about regime change,” Hegseth added.
Caine said the goal of the operation — destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan — had been achieved.
“Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” Caine said.
General Caine said the US used 75 precision-guided weapons, including 14 GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs, each weighing 13,000kg. These bombs are specifically designed to penetrate hardened underground targets — such as Fordow — which is buried deep within a mountain.
“Last night, on President Trump's orders, US Central Command conducted a precision strike… It was an incredible and overwhelming success,” Hegseth said.
Submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles hit surface infrastructure targets in Isfahan just before the bombers dropped their payloads. The assault took place between 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. Eastern Time — around 2 a.m. local time in Iran.
No US aircraft were shot at during the mission, and Iran’s surface-to-air systems reportedly failed to detect the incoming bombers.
General Caine added, “We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the US strike package on the way in.” He emphasised that the mission was not directed at Iranian troops or civilians, only nuclear infrastructure.
The operation, he said, was carried out with “exceptional skill and discipline” and praised the coordination across domains — including space, cyber, and naval forces.
“This type of integration is exactly what our joint force does better than anyone else in the world,” said Caine.
Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan hit with MOPs and missiles
Seven B-2 Spirit bombers dropped a total of fourteen 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs, striking the deeply buried Fordow and Natanz sites. Tomahawk cruise missiles, fired from a submarine, hit targets in Isfahan, where Iran reportedly stored large quantities of highly enriched uranium.
General Dan Caine said, “No other military in the world could do this,” adding that “the results were achieved with minimal communication” and through careful misdirection.
The strikes involved over 125 aircraft and support units, including stealth fighters, surveillance platforms, and in-air refuelling tankers, according to General Caine. He added that the operation marked "the largest B-2 mission in U.S. history, and the second largest ever in the world."
Also Read: Operation Midnight Hammer: How six bunker busters and 75 precision weapons powered the US’s second-largest B-2 strike
Iran denies major damage, warns of retaliation
Iranian officials confirmed the strikes but downplayed the damage. Hassan Abedini, deputy political director of Iran's state broadcaster, said, "Iran didn’t suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out." Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization called the strikes a “barbaric violation” of international law.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran reserves the right to respond, calling the attack a betrayal of U.S. citizens who were promised an end to "endless wars".
Trump: 'Many targets left' if Iran refuses talks
Flanked by Vice President JD Vance and other top officials, President Trump addressed the nation hours after the strike. He confirmed the targets and warned that future attacks could be "far greater" if Iran failed to seek a diplomatic solution. “Remember, there are many targets left,” Trump said.
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the strikes a "dangerous escalation", while UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the action aimed to “alleviate” the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme. India, Saudi Arabia and Oman urged restraint, while Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev accused Trump of starting "a new war".
Experts warned that while the strikes may destroy infrastructure, Iran’s nuclear know-how remains intact. “Military strikes alone cannot destroy Iran's extensive nuclear knowledge,” the Arms Control Association said. It added that such actions could encourage Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Some Western officials fear Iran may now follow a North Korea-style path, opting for secrecy and potential weaponisation to safeguard its regime. “Nobody is bombing North Korea now, are they?” a European official remarked.
Also Read: After US strike, Iran’s ‘all-out war’ warning puts US forces in Bahrain on edge: What comes next?
Iran’s capabilities remain a wild card
Until recently, Iran was enriching uranium to 60%—close to weapons-grade levels. The IAEA has not confirmed how much enriched uranium remains after the strikes. A senior Iranian source claimed much of the material was relocated before the attack.
The IAEA, which has not accessed Iranian nuclear facilities since the Israeli strikes of 13 June, is reportedly still in contact with Iranian authorities.
Operation Execution: Deception, precision, power
The air assault was carefully choreographed. General Eric Kurilla led the operation from US Central Command. A decoy package flew into the Pacific while the actual B-2s crossed the globe eastwards. In-air refuelling and synchronised support across five combatant commands allowed for stealth, coordination and minimal detection.
General Caine noted that all assets returned safely, with no Iranian aircraft in the air or surface-to-air missiles fired. “We retained the element of surprise,” he said.
As the smoke clears, the strategic dilemma for Tehran is sharp: retaliate, re-enter talks, or bide time. Iran did fire missiles at Tel Aviv and Haifa hours after the U.S. attack, injuring at least 86 people. But analysts say a larger, more coordinated retaliation remains possible.
Whether Iran will rebuild its nuclear infrastructure or shift to covert programmes is uncertain. But the message from Washington is now clear: nuclear ambiguity will not be tolerated.
“We will defend ourselves,” said Dan Caine, “and the safety of our civilians remains our highest priority.”
Also Read: To hit Fordow is to hit Iran’s nuclear nerve; Here’s why
“The operation President Trump planned was bold and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this President speaks, the world should listen,” Hegseth said during a press briefing on Sunday.
The mission, called “Operation Midnight Hammer”, involved decoys and deception, and met with no Iranian resistance, Hegseth and Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference.
“This mission was not and has not been about regime change,” Hegseth added.
Caine said the goal of the operation — destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan — had been achieved.
“Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” Caine said.
General Caine said the US used 75 precision-guided weapons, including 14 GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs, each weighing 13,000kg. These bombs are specifically designed to penetrate hardened underground targets — such as Fordow — which is buried deep within a mountain.
“Last night, on President Trump's orders, US Central Command conducted a precision strike… It was an incredible and overwhelming success,” Hegseth said.
Submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles hit surface infrastructure targets in Isfahan just before the bombers dropped their payloads. The assault took place between 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. Eastern Time — around 2 a.m. local time in Iran.
No US aircraft were shot at during the mission, and Iran’s surface-to-air systems reportedly failed to detect the incoming bombers.
General Caine added, “We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the US strike package on the way in.” He emphasised that the mission was not directed at Iranian troops or civilians, only nuclear infrastructure.
The operation, he said, was carried out with “exceptional skill and discipline” and praised the coordination across domains — including space, cyber, and naval forces.
“This type of integration is exactly what our joint force does better than anyone else in the world,” said Caine.
Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan hit with MOPs and missiles
Seven B-2 Spirit bombers dropped a total of fourteen 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs, striking the deeply buried Fordow and Natanz sites. Tomahawk cruise missiles, fired from a submarine, hit targets in Isfahan, where Iran reportedly stored large quantities of highly enriched uranium.
General Dan Caine said, “No other military in the world could do this,” adding that “the results were achieved with minimal communication” and through careful misdirection.
The strikes involved over 125 aircraft and support units, including stealth fighters, surveillance platforms, and in-air refuelling tankers, according to General Caine. He added that the operation marked "the largest B-2 mission in U.S. history, and the second largest ever in the world."
Also Read: Operation Midnight Hammer: How six bunker busters and 75 precision weapons powered the US’s second-largest B-2 strike
Iran denies major damage, warns of retaliation
Iranian officials confirmed the strikes but downplayed the damage. Hassan Abedini, deputy political director of Iran's state broadcaster, said, "Iran didn’t suffer a major blow because the materials had already been taken out." Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization called the strikes a “barbaric violation” of international law.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran reserves the right to respond, calling the attack a betrayal of U.S. citizens who were promised an end to "endless wars".
Trump: 'Many targets left' if Iran refuses talks
Flanked by Vice President JD Vance and other top officials, President Trump addressed the nation hours after the strike. He confirmed the targets and warned that future attacks could be "far greater" if Iran failed to seek a diplomatic solution. “Remember, there are many targets left,” Trump said.
The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called the strikes a "dangerous escalation", while UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the action aimed to “alleviate” the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme. India, Saudi Arabia and Oman urged restraint, while Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev accused Trump of starting "a new war".
Experts warned that while the strikes may destroy infrastructure, Iran’s nuclear know-how remains intact. “Military strikes alone cannot destroy Iran's extensive nuclear knowledge,” the Arms Control Association said. It added that such actions could encourage Iran to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Some Western officials fear Iran may now follow a North Korea-style path, opting for secrecy and potential weaponisation to safeguard its regime. “Nobody is bombing North Korea now, are they?” a European official remarked.
Also Read: After US strike, Iran’s ‘all-out war’ warning puts US forces in Bahrain on edge: What comes next?
Iran’s capabilities remain a wild card
Until recently, Iran was enriching uranium to 60%—close to weapons-grade levels. The IAEA has not confirmed how much enriched uranium remains after the strikes. A senior Iranian source claimed much of the material was relocated before the attack.
The IAEA, which has not accessed Iranian nuclear facilities since the Israeli strikes of 13 June, is reportedly still in contact with Iranian authorities.
Operation Execution: Deception, precision, power
The air assault was carefully choreographed. General Eric Kurilla led the operation from US Central Command. A decoy package flew into the Pacific while the actual B-2s crossed the globe eastwards. In-air refuelling and synchronised support across five combatant commands allowed for stealth, coordination and minimal detection.
General Caine noted that all assets returned safely, with no Iranian aircraft in the air or surface-to-air missiles fired. “We retained the element of surprise,” he said.
As the smoke clears, the strategic dilemma for Tehran is sharp: retaliate, re-enter talks, or bide time. Iran did fire missiles at Tel Aviv and Haifa hours after the U.S. attack, injuring at least 86 people. But analysts say a larger, more coordinated retaliation remains possible.
Whether Iran will rebuild its nuclear infrastructure or shift to covert programmes is uncertain. But the message from Washington is now clear: nuclear ambiguity will not be tolerated.
“We will defend ourselves,” said Dan Caine, “and the safety of our civilians remains our highest priority.”
Also Read: To hit Fordow is to hit Iran’s nuclear nerve; Here’s why
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