The Pentagon has released additional details about its recent strike on Iran, revealing that the operation was codenamed ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’. At a press conference, Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Kane described the mission as one of the most complex and dangerous in recent US military history.
General Kane stated that the top-secret operation targeted three Iranian nuclear facilities, including the highly fortified Fordow site. He confirmed that the facilities suffered significant damage, though he declined to specify whether they had been completely destroyed. “It is too early to confirm whether Iran’s nuclear capabilities have been fully neutralised,” he added. “That will take time to assess.”
According to General Kane, the operation was both strategic and unexpected. A total of seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, each with a two-man crew, were selected for the mission. To create a diversion, a formation first headed west toward the Pacific Ocean, accompanied by 125 fighter jets, drawing attention away from the actual route.
The main strike force, comprised of the B-2 bombers, proceeded in silence, minimising communications throughout the mission. The bombers travelled for 18 hours, conducting multiple aerial refuellings before reaching their target.
Kane emphasised the high level of coordination among US forces, stating, “The American joint force operates better than any other in the world. Teamwork was the key.”
In the final phase of the mission, shortly before the B-2s entered Iranian airspace, approximately two dozen cruise missiles were launched from a US submarine to strike Iranian targets. Following this, the bombers entered Iranian territory to deliver their payloads.
The Pentagon also revealed that advanced aircraft capable of intercepting enemy missiles at high speed were deployed to shield the operation. General Kane described the mission as the largest B-2 strike ever conducted by the United States and the second longest aerial mission in US military history.
“Very few in Washington were aware of Operation Midnight Hammer,” Kane noted, underscoring the secrecy and scale of the mission.
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