What is Tomahawk missile? US's primary weapon behind bombing of Iran's nuclear sites
President Donald Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that the US 'completely obliterated' Iran's Fordow nuclear site with six massive 30,000-pound 'bunker buster' bombs and used 30 Tomahawk missiles, launched from US submarines 400 miles away, to hit two other facilities. The president revealed details soon after announcing on Truth Social that the US had conducted strikes in Iran amid its conflict with Israel. US used Tomahawk missiles to strike Iran on Saturday(Unsplash)
The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) is a long-range, subsonic cruise missile developed by the US Navy for precision strikes against land and sea targets. First used in combat during the 1991 Gulf War, it is launched from surface ships and submarines via the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System.
The missile reportedly costs about $2 million each and measures 18.3 feet long, weighs 3,200 pounds (4,400 with booster), and carries a 1,000-pound conventional warhead or cluster munitions. It travels at 550 mph (Mach 0.74), with a range of 1,550–2,500 kilometers (1,000–1,500 miles), guided by GPS, inertial navigation, and terrain contour matching for accuracy within 10 meters.
Read More: Iran's Fordo was 'evacuated', damages are 'not irreversible': First details after US strikes on nuclear sites Trump thanks Netanyahu
President Trump said he worked 'as a team' with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to strike Iran in an address hours after the bombings.
Speaking about a threat of future strikes, the 78-year-old said: 'If they do not, future attacks would be far greater and a lot easier."
'For 40 years Iran has been saying death to America, death to Israel,' Trump said. 'They have been killing our people, blowing off their arms, blowing off their legs with roadside bombs.'
Read More: Will Iran retaliate against US strikes on nuclear sites? Here's what experts say amid World War fears
'I want to thank and congratulate Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we've gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel. I want to thank the Israeli military for the wonderful job they've done. And most importantly, I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight, and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world has not seen in many, many decades,' he added.
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