Day 9. 'Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER' deploys almost all U.S. B-2 bombers and more than half of the 'bunker-busting' U.S. Massive Ordinance Penetrators. India, Russia, China join Iran.
Iran's nuclear facilities show scant damage and Iran's Waves' of Missiles hit targets in Israel more than ever, Sunday, June 22. Saudi Arabia and 56 other Nations also condemn U.S. attack.
June 22, 2025
Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER involves three major U. S. Department of Defense Contractors—Boeing, Northrop Graumann
Last night in its ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’ the United States under President Donald Trump deployed 125 aircraft, including seven Northrop Grumman B-2 Bombers that actually delivered “bunker-busting” Boeing GBU Massive Ordinance Penetrators, against three sites supposed to hold nuclear-power capacities in Iran.
According to Brian Everstine and Aviation Week today—
The operation involved almost all of the United States’ B-2s and ‘more than half of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) produced.’
Aviation Week continues—
‘The large-scale U.S. airstrikes aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 21 involved almost the entire operational fleet of Northrop Grumman B-2 bombers and more than half of the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) produced.
The day after the strike, Pentagon leaders laid out the operational detail of what was called Operation Midnight Hammer---a mission that began with deception. Earlier on June 21, several B-2s launched from their home base of Whiteman AFB, Missouri, heading west with refueling tankers lined up to support their trip. The flight was purposefully trackable, as a decoy. Shortly after, the real strike package of seven B-2s flew east, over the Atlantic, through Iraqi airspace and eventually into Iran late June 21.
The main strike package, once over land in the Middle East, linked up with escorts of fourth- and fifth-generation fighters that had been deployed to the region, Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters June 22. As the strike package was about to enter Iranian airspace, U.S. Navy destroyers and submarines fired a volley of more than two dozen RTX Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles at various targets.’
The U.S. biggest ‘bunker-busters’ targeted the Fordo uranium-enrichment site, its working facility more than one half-mile inside a mountain, and two other Iranian sites.
Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER used many Tomahawk missiles, sold by RTX, too.
‘All told, 125 total aircraft participated in the mission, to include the bombers, fighters, refueling tankers and other support aircraft. Seventy-five precision guided munitions were used including the MOPs, Tomahawks and suppression of enemy defenses weapons.’
The attack, following Donald Trump’s seeming reversal on Thursday, June 19 to a window of “two weeks” for further negotiations with Iran, also followed ‘close contact’ this past week between Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine and Israel Defense Forces Chief Lt. General Eyal Zamir.
Aviation Week continues.
‘Hegseth said Israel was not directly notified of the mission, and U.S. aircraft took advantage of Israeli forces degrading Iran’s surface-to-air missile threat.
The U.S. attack marked “a turning point,” Israeli Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said June 22, noting that he has was in close contract with Caine this past week. “The campaign is ongoing and we still have targets to strike and objectives to complete,” he added.’
Iran claims—and 16 cargo trucks attest—that ‘enriched uranium reserves had been transferred from the nuclear centres’—days before the U.S. attacks.
The Guardian, U.K., June 22—
Iran’s allies in the BRICS coalition of 10 major Nations decry the Trump Administration attacks. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Abragchi travels to Moscow for talks with Vladimir Putin tomorrow morning.
Iranians have returned to Tehran and express disgust at the Trump Administration and loyalty toward their Government.
Polls of last week show HUGE majorities of the U.S. public opposing U.S. military involvement against Iran. Only 19% of Trump voters supported the (ineffectual except as escalating conflict) bombings that his Ad. 2.0 launched last night.
The U.S. Government of Trump Ad. 2.0 offers no aid to U.S. citizens seeking to leave Israel.
LINKS
1. https://aviationweek.com/defense/budget-policy-operations/us-strike-iran-marks-largest-b-2-mission-bombers-history
2. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/22/how-effective-was-the-us-attack-on-irans-nuclear-sites-a-visual-guide
3. https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/what-russia-china-said-on-us-strikes-on-iran-nuclear-sites-dangerous-escalation-101750592793916.html
4.
5. https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/22/world/video/iran-pleitgen-us-nuclear-strikes-digvid
6. https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/polls-americans-oppose-us-bombing
7. https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/21/world/video/americans-trying-to-leave-israel-during-iran-conflict-digvid
