Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth called the bombing of Iran’s nuclear plants dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, “American deterrence.” Details of the attack were given after a brief speech by Sec. Hegseth.
Several B-2s went west as a deception effort. The main strike package of seven B-2s, with two crew members, proceeded east quietly for 18 hours with multiple refueling. Minimal communications were kept. The tightly controlled operation required perfect synchronization.
the B-2s flew overnight all the way from Missouri – amazing.
Partial transcript below. There was an interesting Q&A not included in the transcript.
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
Partial Transcript, General Caine
[Operation Midnight Hammer] “was designed to severely degrade Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure. It was planned and executed across multiple domains and theaters with coordination that reflects our ability to project power globally with speed and precision at the time and place of our nation’s choosing.
“This was a highly classified mission with very few people in Washington knowing the timing or nature of this plan. I’ll refer you to the graphic on the side as I walk you through some of the operational details.
The decoy left at midnight
“At midnight, Friday into Saturday morning, a large B-2 strike package comprised of bombers launched from the continental United States as part of a plan to maintain tactical surprise. Part of the package proceeded to the west and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders here in Washington and in Tampa.
“The main strike package comprised of 7 B-2 Spirit bombers, each with two crew members, proceeded quietly to the east with minimal communications throughout the 18 hour flight into the target area.
Amazing integration
“The aircraft completed multiple in flight refueling. Once over land, the B-2 is linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed maneuver requiring exact synchronization across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications.
“This type of integration is exactly what our Joint Force does better than anyone else in the world. At approximately 5pm eastern standard time last night and just prior to the strike package entering Iran, a US submarine in the Central Command Area of Responsibility launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles against key surface infrastructure targets at Isfahan, as the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace.
Several decoys
“The US employed several deception tactics, including decoys, as the fourth and fifth generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface to air missile threats.
“The strike package was supported by US Strategic Command, US Transportation Command, US Cyber Command, US Space Command, US Space Force and US European command. As the strike package approached Fordow and Natanz, the US protection package employed high speed suppression weapons to ensure safe passage of The strike package with fighter assets employing preemptive suppressing fires against any potential Iranian Surface to Air threats.
“We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the US strike package on the way in at approximately 6:40pm, Eastern, standard time 2:10am, Iran time.
“The lead B-2 dropped two GBU 57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordow. As the President stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets as well, with a total of 14 MOPs dropped against two nuclear target areas.
“All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6:40pm and 7:05pm eastern time again. That’s about 2:10 in the morning, local time in Iran, with the Tomahawk missiles being the last to strike at Isfahan to ensure we retain the element of surprise throughout the operation.
“Following weapons release, the midnight hammer strike, package exited Iranian airspace and the package began its return home. We are unaware of any shots fired at the Package on the way out, Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears that Iran’s surface to air missile systems did not see us throughout the mission.
“We retained the element of surprise.”
“In total, US forces employed approximately 75 precision guided weapons during this operation. This included, as the President stated last night, fourteen 30,000 pound GBU, 57 Massive Ordnance penetrators, marking the first ever operational use of this weapon.
“I know that battle damage is of great interest. Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.
“More than 125 US aircraft participated in this mission, including B-2 stealth bombers, multiple flights of fourth and fifth generation fighters, dozens and dozens of air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine, and a full array of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, as well as hundreds of maintenance and operational professionals.
Largest B-2 strike in US History & second longest.
“As the Secretary said, this was those largest B-2 operational strike in US history, and the second longest B-2 mission ever flown, exceeded only by those in the days following 9/11, well prior to the strike.”
Force protection measures are in place, especially in Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf. Forces are on high alert and ready to respond to any Iranian or proxy retaliation, “which would be an incredibly poor choice, we will defend ourselves. The safety of our service members and civilians remains our highest priority.
“This mission demonstrates the unmatched reach coordination and capability of the United States military in just a matter of weeks, this went from strategic planning to global execution. This operation underscores the unmatched capabilities and global reach of the United States military.
No other military could have accomplished this.
“As the President clearly said last night, no other in the military, no other military in the world, could have done this/ I join the President and the Secretary in being incredibly proud of the air crews, naval forces, cyber operators, planners and support teams and commanders who made this mission possible. It is their skill, discipline and teamwork that makes this operation possible.
“I am particularly proud of our discipline related to operational security, something that was of great concern to the President, the Secretary General, carilla and me, and we will continue to focus on this as we stand here this morning, many assets are still airborne, and we have hundreds deployed. I ask that we keep our war fighters on their way home and our deployed service member in our thoughts. Our joint force remains ready to defend the United States our troops and our interests in the region.”
Emphasis added.
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The attack was likely one of the most brilliantly executed in military history. Pres. Trump has warned Iran what would happen if they tried any retaliation. If they are so blinded by their ideology, they ignore this warning they will be making the same mistake Japan did after believing Hiroshima was a one off. No nukes, just precision strikes against a mostly defenseless… Read more »
The Mullahs have been blinded by their god, Satan. They will spend eternity with him in the Lake of Fire.
Ali Khamenei for decades has threatened a genocidal holocaust against the Jewish people of Israel, and has stirred hatred against Jews even in what should be the sanctity of USA university campuses. The nuclear capability to carry out a geocidal holocaust had to be destroyed. Remember Ali also said, “Death to America!”
Although I had hoped the US would not need to become involved in this war, Iran has been threatening our country and our Israeli allies for decades. Perhaps they will shut their mouths now.
Can you image the Biden regime trying to do this? Joe couldn’t even keep it a secret that his butt’s been wiped.
If you are not ASHAMED to be an American today, you were never an American yesterday. The US is now a genocidal regime, a tiny hat tool, with a tiny hat leader.
We all voted for this. I bet you’re not even an American. Are you the same guy saying almost the exact same thing on X who was out’ed as living in Pakastan? I bet you are. Either that or you have an AOC poster hanging on your wall.
Get bent. Did you have the same cry-fest when Barry bombed Libya? Go have a lettuce sandwich on gluten free bread with a glass of warm buttermilk and curl up on your bearskin rug.
Sam, you should not use big words you do not understand. It makes you look foolish. The action taken against the nuclear capability of Iran, a terrorist nation which constantly threatens genocide, did not genocidally attack people but war making facilities the Iranians claimed had been emptied. Your lying propaganda stinks.