CRUSHING BLOW: Operation Midnight Hammer, the ‘largest B-2 operational strike in US history’

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From Fox News: The Pentagon on Sunday shared details about Operation Midnight Hammer, the massive, complicated mission that struck three key Iranian nuclear facilities on Saturday, calling it the “largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history.”

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon that “the scope of this was intentionally limited” in his first formal remarks following the strikes, though he added that the capabilities of the American military “are nearly unlimited.

Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, detailed the operation’s timeline and the deception tactics employed that went into striking Iran’s Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities.

The operation commenced when B-2 stealth bombers launched from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri at 12:01 a.m. Saturday morning.

U.S. forces launched the history-making operation using over 125 aircraft, including B-2 stealth bombers and precision-guided munitions, marking the first operational use of the GBU 57 massive Ordnance penetrators.

Caine said the operation was the “largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history”

“No other military in the world could have done this,” Caine said. “This mission demonstrates the unmatched reach, coordination and capability of the United States military in just a matter of weeks.

“This went from strategic planning to global execution.”

Here is a summary of the operation:

• Deception Tactics: A decoy flight was launched to mislead the enemy, and support aircraft were used to suppress enemy fighters and missile threats.
• Main Strike Force: Seven B-2 Spirit bombers flew an 18-hour flight, refueled multiple times, and linked up with support aircraft before entering Iranian airspace. It was the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown.
• Target and Weapons: The Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities were struck with a total of 14 GBU 57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker-busters.
• Iranian Response: Iran did not launch any fighter jets or surface-to-air missiles during the strike.
• U.S. Assessment: The U.S. military believes it maintained the element of surprise throughout the mission. The U.S. mission was successful and returned to Whiteman Air Force Base.


Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Trump does not want the U.S. at war with Iran. Hegseth said Trump is committed to “peace through strength.”

“When this president speaks, the world should listen,” he said. “And the U.S. military? We can back it up.”

“President Trump has stated the United States does not seek war. But let me be clear, we will act swiftly and decisively when our people, our partners or our interests are threatened,” Hegseth said. “Iran should listen to the president of the United States and know that he means it — every word.”

“Iran is calculating the reality that planes flew from the middle of America in MISSOURI over night, completely undetected, over 3 of their most highly sensitive sites,” Hegseth continued. “And we were able to destroy nuclear capabilities, and our boys in those bombers are on their way home right now.”

“We believe that’ll have a clear psychological impact on how they view the future.”

Hegseth made it clear that Trump had followed the timeline he gave Iran two months ago.

“When POTUS says 60 days that he seeks peace and negotiation, he means 60 days of peace and negotiation; otherwise, that nuclear program, that nuclear capability, will not exist; he meant it,” Hegseth told reporters.

“This is not the previous administration.”

READ MORE AT Fox News.

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