Operation 'Midnight Hammer': The Role of B-2 Bombers and US Involvement

B-2 bombers, costing $2.1 billion each, were used in Operation 'Midnight Hammer,' marking direct US involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict.

According to the plan, 13 B-2 bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Six were sent to Guam as a 'decoy,' while the remaining 7 headed east to destroy underground nuclear facilities in Iran.

In total, more than 125 aircraft participated in the operation, including refueling aircraft, fighters, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Unmanned aerial vehicles played a significant role in intelligence gathering.

The role of the CIA was crucial, with its Director, John Ratcliffe, informing President Trump that Iran was 'one meter' away from building a nuclear weapon, leading to the decision for the operation.

The first B-2 was unveiled in 1988 and has been used in operations such as Allied Force and 'Enduring Freedom'.

Source: protothema.gr / Georgia Sadana