JERUSALEM, Israel – America’s “Midnight Hammer” met Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion on Sunday, as three U.S. B-2 bombers hit Iran’s main nuclear enrichment sites.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the strike a “pivot of history.”
The Pentagon detailed the attack, the largest B-2 bomber operation ever, and the first use of the 15-ton massive ordnance penetrator bunker-buster bomb.
U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine declared on Sunday, “At approximately 6:40 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, 2:10 a.m., Iran time, the lead B-2 dropped two GBU-57 massive ordnance penetrator weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordo (nuclear facility). As the President stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets as well, with a total of 14 MOPs dropped against two nuclear target areas.”
Before and after satellite images show the destruction to all three sites, but there are concerns Iran might have moved some of the enriched uranium beforehand.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth observed, “The scope and scale of what occurred last night would take the breath away of almost any American if you had an opportunity to watch it in real-time. Planes flew from the middle of America and Missouri overnight, completely undetected over three of their most highly sensitive sites, and we were able to destroy nuclear capabilities, and our boys in those bombers are on their way home right now.”
Just hours after the U.S. hit the nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, the Islamic regime answered with a barrage of about 25 missiles targeted at Israel. CBN News traveled to one of the sites north of Tel Aviv. There were no fatalities, but about 20 injuries, with extensive damage to property
Israel’s National Police Spokesman Dean Ulsdunne stated, “Unfortunately, we’re talking about a continuous pattern of the Iranian barrage of missiles targeting our civilian communities. The threat of Iran and that regime is not just a threat against Israel. It’s a threat against all Western ideology, a regime that calls for the death of Israel, but also the death of the United States. We’re in this together.”
Vice President JD Vance told NBC News, “We’re not at war with Iran. We’re at war with Iran’s nuclear program.”
He added, “What we said to the Iranians, we do not want war with Iran. We actually want peace. But we want peace in the context of them not having a weapons program. And that’s exactly what the President accomplished last night.”
However, later on Truth Social, President Trump had a slightly different take, posting, “It’s not politically correct to use the term ‘Regime Change,” but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a regime change??? MIGA!!!”
In the meantime, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi indicated that the time for diplomacy is over.
“There is no red line that they have not crossed. And the last one, the most dangerous one, happened only last night when they crossed a very big red line by attacking nuclear facilities. I don’t know how much room is left for diplomacy. We are now calculating the damages.”
After the strike, Netanyahu honored Trump, saying, “History will record that President Trump acted to deny the world’s most dangerous regime the world’s most dangerous weapons. His leadership today has created a pivot of history that can help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace.”
The prime minister went to Jerusalem’s Western Wall to pray on Sunday. He and others recited prayers for the Israel Defense Forces and security personnel, and also for the hostages and President Trump.
He proclaimed, “A people has risen up as a lion. We will continue to do wonders and miracles to ensure the eternity of Israel for generations.”
Netanyahu placed a note which read, “A people has risen up as a lion – Am Yisrael Chai!” (The people of Israel live!)
