"Fifteen Years of Stunning Achievements": The Behind-the-Scenes Account of the Campaign to Strike Iran's Nuclear Facilities
In the heart of 2025, a jaw-dropping, grueling 36-hour affair unfolded across the skies of the Middle East, known as Operation Midnight Hammer. This daring operation, spearheaded by the U.S. military, aimed squarely at Iran's nuclear advances.
The roots of Operation Midnight Hammer date back 15 years, a period marked by relentless analysis and planning by a pair of intelligence officers from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Dubbed as "Fordow specialists," these agents immersed themselves in the intricacies of Iran's nuclear complex, Fordow, which began taking shape in 2006. They scrutinized every nook and cranny, from the ventilation systems to the concrete foundations, discerned the sources of materials, and noted patterns of construction that deviated from peaceful purposes.
Located inside a mountain, Fordow was a formidable target, fortified and buried deep. The complex had begun enriching uranium in late 2011, stoking Western concerns over Iran's true ambitions. Intelligence reports warned of a steady erosion of a decades-long taboo on nuclear weapons discourse in Iran, signaling a potential green light for weapons development.
The solution to the seemingly insurmountable task of bombing a facility deep underground came with the Genome Bomb Unit 57A/B, or MOP for short. Developed since 2004 by the Air Force and DTRA, the bomb features a warhead encased in steel and is designed to detonate 200 feet underground. The bomb's fuses are calibrated to ensure that it penetrates rock and enters underground facilities before detonating.
The MOP underwent numerous tests, refinements, and simulations to perfection. According to General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, their team was the biggest user of supercomputer hours in the United States during the MOP's development. The team prepared meticulously, accounting for every conceivable variable, even as Iran tried to fortify the facility's entrances days before the attack.
On June 22, 2025, a fleet of seven B-2 stealth bombers, piloted by Airmen from Missouri Air National Guard and Active-Duty Air Force, took off from Whiteman Air Force Base. They flew 36 hours, over the Atlantic, and across the Middle East, culminating in a daring strike against Fordow and other Iranian nuclear facilities. The strike involved 125 aircraft, including refueling tankers, fourth-generation fighters, and fifth-generation F-35s.
The bombers dropped six GBU-57A/B bombs on each of the two main ventilation shafts of Fordow, first dismantling the concrete covers and then penetrating the facility. According to General Caine, the bombs performed as designed, with one on standby as a "flex" weapon in case of failure. Two MOPs were also dropped on Natanz, a complementary nuclear complex.
Their mission complete, the pilots returned to Whiteman Air Force Base on June 25, their secret accomplished. The intelligence community would later confirm that the bunker buster bombs successfully destroyed the intended targets, crippling Iran's nuclear aspirations. This triumph, however, did not come without controversy, as some questioned the constitutionality and global repercussions of direct U.S. military action in Iran. Nonetheless, the world watched in awe as the U.S. demonstrated its advanced military technology in the defense of nonproliferation goals.
- The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) agents, known as "Fordow specialists," focused on Iran's nuclear complex, Fordow, during a period of intense analysis and planning for operation against Iran's nuclear advances.
- The Genome Bomb Unit 57A/B, or MOP, was developed by the Air Force and DTRA since 2004, featuring a warhead encased in steel designed to detonate 200 feet underground.
- General Dan Caine, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pointed out that their team was the biggest user of supercomputer hours in the United States during the MOP's development.
- On June 22, 2025, a fleet of B-2 stealth bombers, piloted by Airmen, carried out Operation Midnight Hammer, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities such as Fordow, using GBU-57A/B bombs.
- The security implications of this operation sparked debate in the realms of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news, questioning the constitutionality and global repercussions of direct U.S. military action in Iran.
- The success of the mission, which involved 125 aircraft, including refueling tankers, fourth-generation fighters, and fifth-generation F-35s, was confirmed by the intelligence community, suggesting that the bunker buster bombs crippled Iran's nuclear aspirations.
- As space advances and satellite technology continue to play a crucial role in military operations, this demonstration of U.S. advanced military technology underscores the importance of maintaining control over weapons, including missiles and aircraft, in the context of war-and-conflicts and military defense.
