by WorldTribune Staff, June 22, 2025 Real World News
Defense Secretary Pete Hengseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine on Sunday stated that Operation Midnight Hammer, in which the U.S. struck three key Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday night, included 125 U.S. military aircraft, featuring B-2 stealth bombers which dropped 14 bunker buster bombs.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine. / Video ImageThe operation included sending six B-2s to Guam as decoy flights.
Hegseth and Cain detailed how the classified mission was executed while retaining the element of surprise, with “very few people in Washington knowing the timing or nature of this plan” and B-2 pilots having “minimal communications” as they made their 18-hour journey into Iran.
Hegseth said: “The operation President Trump planned was bold, and it was brilliant, showing the world that American deterrence is back. When this President speaks, the world should listen, and the U.S. military, we can back it up — the most powerful military the world has ever known. No other country on planet Earth could have conducted the operation that the chairman is going to outline this morning, not even close.
“Just like Solemani found out in the first term, Iran found out that 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. This is not the previous administration. President Trump said, no nukes. He seeks peace, and Iran should take that path. He sent out a truth last night, saying this: ‘Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight, signed the President of the United States, Donald J Trump.’ Iran, would be smart to heed those words. He said it before, and he means it.”
Caine noted: “As the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace, the U.S. employed several deception tactics, including decoys as the fourth and fifth generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface to air missile threats.”
At around 2:10 a.m. local time, the lead B-2 bomber dropped two GBU-57 Bunker Buster bombs on the first aim point at Fordow, Iran, Caine said.
Caine said U.S. aircraft were “in and out and back without the world knowing at all.”
He added that they are “currently unaware of any shots fired at the U.S. strike package on the way in” and “unaware of any shots fired at the package on the way out.”
“Initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction,” Caine said.
‘Midnight Hammer:’ 125 aircraft took part; 14 bunker busters dropped; Decoy flights to Pacific added by Editor Two on June 22, 2025
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