The United States joined Israel’s air campaign against Iran early Sunday, hitting three nuclear-related sites in a move that risks widening the regional conflict. Washington relied on assets only its own arsenal can field: stealth B-2 bombers armed with the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator and submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles.
GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator
- First combat use – Eight of the 30,000-pound “bunker-busters” were dropped: six on the deeply buried Fordow enrichment plant, two on Natanz.
- Penetration power – Designed to punch through 18 m of reinforced concrete or more than 60 m of earth before detonation, the GBU-57 is the only conventional weapon considered capable of reaching Iran’s hard-rock facilities.
- Mission objective – U.S. officials say only these bombs, delivered by B-2s, can inflict decisive damage on Iran’s underground program.
B-2 Spirit Stealth Bombers
- Delivery platform – Each B-2 carries two GBU-57s. Multiple aircraft flew direct from the United States, with one sortie lasting 37 hours.
- Stealth advantage – The bomber’s low-observable profile allows deep penetration of defended airspace, placing heavy ordnance precisely on target while evading radar.
Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles
- Submarine launch – U.S. attack subs in the region fired roughly 30 Tomahawks during the strike package.
- Long-range precision – Capable of re-targeting in flight, Tomahawks have been a U.S. mainstay since the 1991 Gulf War. Sunday’s volley reportedly supported raids on Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan.
Strategic Context
Israel had pressed Washington for direct involvement after more than a week of exclusive Israeli operations aimed at eroding Iran’s air defences and missile forces. U.S. officials argue that only American platforms and munitions can neutralise Iran’s hardest targets. Whether the strikes achieved that goal remains under assessment.