U.S. B-2s Employ Bunker Busters In Strike On Iran's Nuclear Infrastructure

Several U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers struck a key nuclear facility inside Iran using the most powerful conventional weapon in the American arsenal on June 21, marking a significant escalation to the conflict in the region and dealing a potentially decisive blow to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

In addition to the B-2s dropping reportedly six GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators on the Fordow Enrichment Plant, U.S. submarines fired dozens of RTX Tomahawk cruise missiles against facilities at Natanz and Isfahan. President Donald Trump announced the action in a social media post and later at the White House, stating, "All planes are safely on their way home.”

Flight tracking websites showed B-2s and refueling tankers deploying to the Pacific, apparently as a diversion while other B-2s flew direct from their home base of Whiteman AFB, Missouri, to conduct the strikes. Trump told FOX News that six GBU-57s were used on Fordow.

Trump, in the White House address, called the strikes "a spectacular military success."

"Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” he said.

If Iran does not make a deal to end the conflict, there will be strikes that are “far greater and a lot easier,” Trump said. “Remember, there are many targets left.”

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the mission, stating the U.S. used “awesome and righteous might.”

The Pentagon did not immediately provide details on the operation, referring questions to the White House. 

The strikes come a week into Israel’s intensive aerial bombardment of targets throughout Iran. Israel has targeted Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure and personnel, but lacked the ability to destroy well-fortified nuclear facilities deep underground.

The B-2 mission marks the first announced use of the Boeing-made weapon, with just 20 of the bombs disclosed to have been delivered. The Northrop Grumman B-2 is the only aircraft certified to carry the 30,000-lb. bomb, though the Boeing B-52 has conducted tests with it.

The weapon was quickly developed and fielded to address a 2007 urgent operational need identified by the Pentagon after operational use of smaller bunker buster weapons showed limited effectiveness at penetrating deep targets.

The Air Force in 2024 disclosed an effort to replace the GBU-57 with the Next-Generation Penetrator, to be carried by the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, which is still in development. The service wants a lighter weapon weighing no more than 11 tons.

The June 21 strikes are expected to spark a response by Tehran, though the Iranian military’s ability to counter Israel’s continued bombardment has been relatively limited. Tehran in January 2020 targeted American bases inside Iraq in response to the Trump-directed strike that killed Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani, causing dozens of injuries to American personnel though there was no further escalation.