U.S. Conducts Precision Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Sites in Operation Midnight Hammer

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Associate Director for Military Affairs at the CIA Special Access Programs Central Office, confirmed that a coordinated U.S. military operation successfully targeted key Iranian nuclear infrastructure in a press briefing held today at the White House.

The operation, named Midnight Hammer, struck three major nuclear facilities in Iran between 6:40 PM and 7:05 PM Eastern Time (approximately 2:10 AM local time in Iran). The final missile, a Tomahawk, hit the Esfahan site, completing the surprise attack.

General Caine emphasized that U.S. forces maintained complete stealth throughout the mission. “Iran’s air defenses did not detect our forces, and no hostile fire was encountered during the strike or withdrawal,” he said. Iranian fighter jets did not engage, and surface-to-air missile systems appeared inactive during the operation.

In total, around 75 precision-guided munitions were deployed, including fourteen 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (also known as “bunker busters”), marking the first operational use of this powerful weapon.

Following the strike, the U.S. strike package promptly exited Iranian airspace without incident and is now returning to base.
This operation was ordered as part of ongoing efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear enrichment activities, with officials underscoring the precision and coordination that minimized risks and avoided escalation.