Following Saturday night’s high-profile airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, the Pentagon held a detailed briefing Sunday morning, offering new insight into the scope, strategy, and intent behind the operation dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer.
According to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, the mission was the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history, involving over 125 aircraft, including seven B-2 Spirit bombers, fighter escorts, refueling tankers, and surveillance planes A.
The Mission
The strikes targeted three key nuclear sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. At approximately 5 p.m. ET Saturday, a U.S. submarine launched over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at Isfahan. Minutes later, B-2 bombers dropped 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators—30,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs—on Fordow and Natanz B.
Gen. Caine emphasized that Iranian air defenses did not detect or engage the strike package, and no U.S. aircraft were fired upon. “Iran’s fighters did not fly, and it appears their surface-to-air missile systems did not see us,” he said B.
Strategic Messaging
Hegseth reiterated that the operation was not aimed at regime change, but rather at dismantling Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities. “This mission was intentionally limited,” he said. “We do not seek war, but we are prepared to respond if provoked” A.
He also confirmed that direct communication channels with Tehran remain open, and that both public and private messages have been sent urging de-escalation A.
Political and Global Reactions
While President Trump declared the strikes a “spectacular military success,” the operation has drawn mixed reactions. Congressional Democrats criticized the lack of prior consultation, while Republican leaders praised the precision and scale of the mission.
Iran has vowed retaliation, and missile strikes have already been reported in Israeli cities. The Pentagon has since elevated force protection levels across the region, particularly in Iraq, Syria, and the Persian Gulf A.
As the region braces for Iran’s next move, the Pentagon insists the U.S. remains “postured and prepared” for any escalation. Whether this marks the end of a targeted operation—or the beginning of a broader conflict—remains to be seen.