"We deployed F-22s, F-35s, and other aircraft. I think a total of 52 large refueling tankers were deployed because the amount of fuel needed to pump for all the participating aircraft was immense. This was a great operation," US President Donald Trump stated at the NATO summit in the Netherlands on 25/6, referring to the airstrike on Iran named "Operation Night Hammer".
The Pentagon previously stated that it had mobilized over 125 aircraft for the operation, including seven B-2 bombers, dozens of refueling tankers, fighters, and reconnaissance aircraft. US officials at the time did not specify the types and numbers of aircraft other than the seven B-2s, only revealing that "4th and 5th generation fighters" flew ahead to track Iranian fighters and air defense systems.
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B-2 bombers return to Whiteman Air Force Base after the airstrike on Iran on 22/6. Photo: *AP* |
"There was no moon or any light. It was very dark, but the strike was carried out with absolute precision," Trump added. The US president said the B-2 bombers flew for about 36 hours to attack the Iranian nuclear facility. US media previously reported the flight time as 37 hours.
US forces used approximately 75 precision-guided weapons in the operation, including 14 GBU-57 MOP bunker-buster bombs dropped on the two nuclear facilities, Fordow and Natanz. A US Navy submarine in the Middle East also fired over 24 Tomahawk cruise missiles at the Isfahan complex.
Satellite imagery shows that the Tomahawk barrage caused severe damage at the Isfahan facility, with several large bomb craters also appearing at the Fordow and Natanz facilities. US and Israeli officials have repeatedly asserted in recent days that the attack dealt a significant blow to Iran's nuclear program, with some suggesting that Tehran's "nuclear bomb-making plan" would be delayed by at least several years.
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US President Donald Trump at a press conference at the NATO summit in the Netherlands on 25/6. Photo: *AP* |
However, US media, citing preliminary intelligence reports, suggest that "Operation Night Hammer" only set back Iran's nuclear program by a few months. Observers note that it is difficult to fully assess the damage to Iran, especially since the critical infrastructure at the Fordow facility is located deep underground.
Pham Giang (*Business Insider*)
