The operation pushes the Middle East to the brink of a major new conflagration in a region already aflame for nearly two years with wars in Gaza and Lebanon and the toppling of long-time autocratic President Bashar al-Assad in Syria.
The US's strikes on Iran's three nuclear sites on Saturday were codenamed Operation Midnight Hammer, which involved over 125 aircraft and a deception operation that saw bombers deployed over the Pacific as a "decoy", a top US general said on Sunday.
The entire operation was completed in 25 minutes and no US military assets were attacked by the Iranian air defence systems.
Defence secretary denies US is pursuing policy of regime change after strikes on Iranian nuclear sites
Operation Midnight Hammer: US details how it struck Iran's N-sites in 25 minutes
Operation Midnight Hammer - This was the name given by the US following its air strikes on Iran's three nuclear sites. It involved over 125 aircraft and bombers being deployed in the Pacific as a "decoy" in an operation that lasted 25 minutes.
US's military operation against Iran named Operation Midnight Hammer
Over 125 aircraft involved in mission, including seven B-2 bombers
Bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles dropped on Iran's 3 nuke sites According to Caine, the US strikes on Iran included 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft. This is the first instance of the US using this ammunition against Iran in the recent Middle East conflict.
"The main strike package comprised of seven B-2 Spirit bombers, each with two crew members, proceeded quietly to the east with minimal communications throughout the 18-hour flight," Caine said.
In a press conference in Washington, Gen Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, detailed Operation Midnight Hammer, in which seven B-2 Spirit bombers flew 18 hours from the US to sites in Iran to drop 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators in strikes that were said to have caused “extremely severe damage” to Iranian uranium enrichment facilities at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
Caine said it was not clear whether Iran retained some nuclear capability and he stopped short of using the same language as Donald Trump, who said the sites had been “completely and totally obliterated”.
Trump announced the US intervention on Saturday night, directly joining Israel’s effort to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme in a risky gambit that triggered alarm across the world and raised fears of a wider regional conflict.
Satellite imagery of the attack site from Maxar Technologies showed six fresh craters at the Fordow nuclear enrichment site, probably the entry point for the “bunker buster” bombs meant to penetrate deep into the facility before detonation.
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