Operation Midnight Hammer: US Strikes Iranian Nuclear Sites

On Friday night, the U.S. launched a large-scale military operation against Iran, targeting three of its key nuclear facilities—Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. The operation, named Operation Midnight Hammer, involved over 125 aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers, and 14 GBU-57 bunker buster bombs. The Pentagon confirmed the strike began at around 5:00 p.m. EST (12:30 a.m. Iran time), with the final missiles hitting targets by 7:05 p.m. EST. President Donald Trump called the attack “very successful,” claiming Iran’s nuclear capabilities were “completely and totally obliterated.” However, Iranian officials acknowledged the strikes but denied any significant damage.

According to General Dan Caine, the operation required 18 hours of flight, with bombers refueling multiple times mid-air. A U.S. submarine launched over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at Esfahan as the main strike package entered Iranian airspace. Decoy aircraft were used to mislead Iranian defenses, while fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets cleared the way for the bombers. At 2:10 a.m. local time, the lead B-2 dropped bunker busters on Fordow. In total, 75 precision-guided weapons were used in the attack. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised the stealth aspect of the mission, though social media users had posted sightings of the bombers. Iran has called the attack “dangerous” and warned of “everlasting consequences.”