The U.S. struck Iran’s Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites, escalating tensions with Iran.
Tehran, June 23 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States has “totally obliterated” three Iranian nuclear sites in what he called “spectacularly successful” strikes. The military used so-called “bunker buster” bombs and missiles to target the heavily fortified Fordow facility as well as Natanz and Isfahan sites.
Trump’s decision to join Israel’s military campaign marks a sharp escalation in the region, which has seen more than 21 months of Israeli genocide in Gaza. The U.S. intervention comes more than a week after Israel launched an unprovoked strike on Iranian nuclear and military sites after accusing Tehran of making an atomic bomb.
Iran, as well as the United Nations nuclear watchdog, has rejected the claims that Tehran was on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons.
How did the attack happen, and which sites were targeted?
Trump announced the bombing of three of Iran’s main nuclear sites:
** Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant – A heavily fortified, deeply buried uranium enrichment site near the northern city of Qom.
** Natanz Nuclear Facility – Iran’s main uranium-enrichment complex, located near Isfahan in central Iran.
** Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center – A key conversion and research facility south of Isfahan city.
According to U.S. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a large formation of seven B-2 stealth bombers, each with two crew members, was launched from the U.S. on Friday at midnight as part of Operation Midnight Hammer.
To maintain tactical surprise, a decoy group flew west over the Pacific, while the main strike group headed east with minimal communications during an 18-hour flight.
At 5 pm EST (1:30 am local time and 21:00 GMT), a U.S. submarine in the region launched more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles, striking surface infrastructure targets in Isfahan.
At 6:40 pm EST (2:10 am Iran time and 22:40 GMT), the lead B-2 dropped two GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) on Fordow, followed by a total of 14 MOPs dropped across Fordow and Natanz.
All three nuclear sites -- Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan -- were hit between 6:40 pm and 7:05 pm EST (1:30 am-2:10 am local time; 22:40-23:10 GMT). The final wave of Tomahawk missiles struck Isfahan last to preserve surprise.
In total, more than 125 US aircraft participated, including stealth bombers, fighter jets, dozens of tankers, surveillance aircraft, and support crews.
The Pentagon described it as the largest B-2 combat operation in U.S. history and the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown. Force protection across the region was elevated in anticipation of potential retaliation.
[ SOURCE: AL JAZEERA ]
