Historical military conflict - The United States' attack on Iran

Historical military conflict - The United States' attack on Iran

🕒 Event Overview (June 21–22, 2025)

• Operation codename : Operation Midnight Hammer.

• Forces mobilized : Approximately 125 combat aircraft, including seven B-2 Spirit stealth strategic bombers, and a submarine launching more than 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles.

🎯 Targets and Weapons

• Target facilities :

  1. Fordow - located beneath the Coombe Mountains, at a depth of about 60–90 m;

  2. Natanz – uranium enrichment and centrifuge facility;

  3. Isfahan - Nuclear research and storage facility.

• Main equipment :

  • GBU‑57 “Massive Ordnance Penetrator, MOP” — about 13 t bomb load, theoretical penetration “more than 60 m of concrete or rock” 

  • Tomahawk cruise missiles are launched from submarines and used to carry out precision strikes on targets such as Isfahan.

• Attack method :

  • The B-2 bomber took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri and flew to Iran via a secret route, equipped with a group of decoy aircraft to confuse the enemy. 

  • The submarines simultaneously launched Tomahawk missiles to carry out joint strikes on the targets.

📈 Initial assessment and subsequent response

• US statement :

  • President Trump claimed that three facilities had been "totally destroyed";

  • Defense Secretary Hegseth and Chief of Staff Dane Cain called the strike "extremely successful and unexpected," but the true extent of the damage to nuclear capabilities remains to be fully assessed. 

• Satellite Imagery :

  • Maxar satellite images show significant damage in Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan 

• Radiation Monitoring :

  • Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the IAEA say no abnormal radiation levels detected

• Iran and International Response :

  • Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi said he would report to the United Nations and take "retaliation" and temporarily withdraw from the negotiation table;

  • Russia criticizes "dangerous escalation" and says some countries are ready to provide Iran with nuclear weapons 

  • The UN Secretary-General, the European Union and others are worried that the situation in the Middle East may further deteriorate.

🌐 Geographical and market influences

• Further tensions in the Middle East : Iran may retaliate against Israel and the United States through asymmetric strikes (drones, missiles, support for proxy groups);

• Energy market warning : The Strait of Hormuz is at risk of being closed, and short-term volatility of international oil prices is expected to intensify;

• Political and economic repercussions : The Trump administration may use this to demonstrate its tough foreign policy strategy; however, its bypassing of the congressional notification procedure has sparked controversy over domestic checks and balances.

✅ Summary

The strikes marked the first time that GBU-57 heavy bombs and B-2 bombers were used in actual combat to carry out high-precision strikes against deeply buried nuclear facilities. Although the United States claimed a "historic victory", the extent of the damage on the ground is still unclear, and Iran has ridiculed that its nuclear program still exists. The focus of future events includes whether Iran will retaliate and escalate, whether regional security will be further destabilized, and changes in the direction of global energy and diplomacy.