US forces bomb Iranian nuclear sites; 'Fordow is gone' says Trump

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President Donald Trump said Saturday the US military has carried out a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear sites, including the underground uranium enrichment facility at Fordo."We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform."A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow."Trump added that "all planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors."Trump's announcement came just two days after he said he would decide "within two weeks" whether to join key ally Israel in attacking Iran.Earlier on Saturday there were reports that US B-2 bombers -- which carry so-called "bunker buster" bombs -- were headed out of the United States.Trump did not say what kind of US planes or munitions were involved.Tehran had threatened reprisals on US forces in the Middle East if Trump attacked but the US president called for "peace.""There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!" he said.

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B2 Bombers, Bunker Busters, Tomahawks: The Weapons US Used To Strike Iran

The US has joined Israel's war against Iran, bombing Tehran's three key nuclear facilities with precision strikes. Washington, DC has used high-end weaponry, including the dreaded GBU-57 bunker busters and Tomahawk cruise missiles, to target the nuclear installations in Iran's Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. The airstrikes have been followed by a narrative war, with US President Donald Trump claiming that the three nuclear enrichment facilities have been "totally obliterated" and Iran stressing that there were "no signs" of contamination. All eyes are now on how Tehran responds to the situation. While a mega military offensive might lead to further escalation of the conflict, an inadequate response may cause Iran's ruling dispensation to lose popular support. 6 B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers: A mong the most advanced strategic weapons in the US inventory, B-2 bombers can counter very sophisticated air defence systems and carry out precision attacks. According to the US Air Force, the B-2 has massive firepower and its "stealth" features threaten heavily defended targets. "The B-2's low observability is derived from a combination of reduced infrared, acoustic, electromagnetic, visual and radar signatures. These signatures make it difficult for the sophisticated defensive systems to detect, track and engage the B-2," it says. Priced at about $2.1 billion each, B-2 bombers are the most expensive military aircraft ever built. GBU-57 Bunker Busters: While Trump did not explicitly mention these, the B-2 bombers that struck Iran likely used this heavy ammunition to target Fordow. The GBU-57 is a massive 30,000-pound -- about 13,600 kg -- bomb that can penetrate up to 200 feet underground before exploding, giving it the name "bunker busters". What sets it apart from other missiles or bombs is that it penetrates the earth's surface before detonation, multiplying the impact exponentially. The GBU-57 is the most powerful bunker buster in the US arsenal. It is about 20 feet in length and has a diameter of 2.6 feet. This sophisticated weapon was developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions Directorate, and Boeing conducted its design and testing. Twelve such bombs are reported to have been used as the US struck Iran today. Tomahawk Cruise Missiles: According to reports, US submarines launched 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles during their strikes on Iranian facilities today. A long-range cruise missile used for deep land attacks, the Tomahawk can be fired from US ships and submarines. What makes these missiles lethal is the option to change targets in-flight through satellite communications. According to the US Navy, these missiles can loiter over a target area to respond to emerging targets and also provide battle damage information. This provides the military control room the flexibility to attack long-range fixed targets or support Special Operations Forces. The first operational use of Tomahawk missiles was in Operation Desert Storm in 1991. They were also used in Operation Odyssey Dawn in Libya and Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria. The US reportedly used submarines from its Virginia and Los Angeles line-up to launch the Tomahawk missiles at its targets in Iran. F 22 Raptor F-22 Raptor and F-35A Lightning IIs The US reportedly used F-22 Raptors and F-35A Lightning fighters to provide air support during the operation. According to the US Air Force, the F-22 Raptor combines stealth, supercruise, manoeuvrability, and integrated avionics and these are coupled with improved supportability. It is designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances and defeat threats trying to intercept the US charge. F 35 Lightning II Joining F-22 Raptors today were F-35A Lightning fighters. A fifth-generation fighter of the US Air Force, this aircraft has high-end stealth capabilities and is designed to provide the pilot with unsurpassed situational awareness and the ability to carry out precision strikes in all-weather conditions. The F-35A Lightning IIs have a wingspan of 35 feet, are 51 feet long can carry a payload of over 8,000 kg.

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Time of India

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B-2 bombers flew 37 hours non-stop, covered over 7000 miles: US outsmarted Iran's Russian air defense missiles to strike its nuclear sites

In a meticulously planned and unprecedented military operation, the United States on June 21 executed a large-scale airstrike on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, targeting the highly fortified Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities, bypassing Iran's dense air defense network, which includes older generation Russian-made surface-to-air missiles. The US strikes included the first-ever use of 30,000 pound (14,000 kilograms) GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator , also known as bunker busters, in combat. According to The New York Times and multiple defense sources, the US operation combined the stealth capabilities of six B-2A Spirit strategic bombers, each valued at roughly $2 billion, with the precision of submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles . The bombers flew non-stop for 37 hours with multiple aerial refueling to cover the over 7000 miles (approx 11,400 kilometers) from the Missouri airbase to the target areas, marking a new chapter in the U.S. effort to halt Iran's nuclear ambitions. The arsenal: Massive Ordnance Penetrators and Tomahawk missiles The centerpiece of the airstrike was the deployment of 12 GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker-buster bombs, dropped exclusively by the B-2A Spirit bombers on the Fordow nuclear enrichment facility. Each MOP weighs approximately 30,000 pounds (13,600 kilograms) and is engineered to penetrate up to 200 feet of earth or 60 feet of reinforced concrete before detonating, making it one of the most powerful conventional bombs in the U.S. arsenal. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read Now Undo The MOP's warhead is encased in a high-performance steel alloy designed to maintain structural integrity upon impact, enabling it to destroy deeply buried and hardened targets that conventional munitions cannot reach. In addition to the MOPs, the Natanz and Isfahan sites were struck by a barrage of 30 submarine-launched BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles, known for their precision and reliability. Live Events The Tomahawks were complemented by two additional GBU-57A/B MOPs dropped on Natanz, underscoring the strategic importance of that site in Iran's nuclear program. The flight path: A 37-hour mission The six B-2A Spirits, operated by the U.S. Air Force 's 509th Bomb Wing, launched from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on a mission lasting approximately 37 hours. The bombers refueled multiple times mid-air to cover the vast distance to Iran and back, demonstrating the B-2's extraordinary range and endurance. The stealth design of the B-2, featuring radar-absorbing materials and a low radar cross-section comparable to a small bird, allowed the bombers to penetrate Iranian airspace undetected, evading sophisticated surface-to-air missile defenses protecting the Fordow site. Each B-2 bomber can carry up to two GBU-57 MOPs due to the bomb's massive size, and the aircraft's internal weapons bays are optimized for stealth and payload delivery. The B-2's bat-like aerodynamic shape and advanced automation systems reduce pilot workload during such complex missions, enabling precise targeting of hardened underground facilities. Why these targets? Fordow: Built 300 feet beneath a mountain and shielded by Russian-supplied air defenses, Fordow is considered the crown jewel of Iran's nuclear program. It houses approximately 1,000 centrifuges used for uranium enrichment and has long been a challenge for airstrike planners due to its depth and fortifications. The use of multiple MOPs aimed to obliterate this key site, which President Trump declared 'gone' after the strikes. Natanz: Iran's main uranium enrichment facility, Natanz, was targeted with a mix of Tomahawk missiles and two MOP bombs. The strikes focused on above-ground infrastructure and underground cascades of centrifuges, aiming to disrupt Iran's uranium production capabilities. Isfahan: This site, involved in uranium conversion and fuel production, was hit primarily by Tomahawk missiles, damaging critical buildings but reportedly without radiological leakage.