After much speculation, the US has officially joined the conflict between Israel and Iran with a series of airstrikes on 3 nuclear facilities in Iran. President Donald Trump confirmed that the campaign used B-2 stealth bombers to attack locations in Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. He called it "a historic moment for the United States, Israel and the world."
During the airstrike, six trans flared bombs were dropped on the Fordow nuclear facility - which is believed to have a solid underground system, while 30 Tomahawk missiles were used against Natanz and Esfahan. The use of B-2 aircraft is considered a key factor in ensuring the success of this campaign.
The B-2 is the first stealth strategic bomber of the US Air Force, appearing since 1989. With a unique wing design and radar wave absorption material, the plane has a radar reflection area of only about 0.001m2 - equivalent to a small bird, making detection by conventional radar almost impossible.
One of the highlights of the B-2 is its ability to fly at all altitudes, with an operating range of up to more than 11,000km without fuel. In addition, the plane could carry a large amount of weapons, including a 13,000kg medium-velvet mine bomb - the only one that can penetrate deep-down ground-protected nuclear facilities such as the Fordow.
Previously, many sources said that the US had brought the B-2 to Guam, raising speculation about the possibility of attacking Iran. When President Trump confirmed that the campaign had taken place, this suspicion was dispelled. According to one report, the cross-bony bombs were used to hit targets in Fordow, which is believed to be an important uranium enrichment hub for Iran.
Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), also known as a trans-boong-ke bomb, is designed to destroy targets located deep underground or inside solid structures. Controlled by a GPS system, this type of bomb is superior to previous versions such as the BLU-109 and GBU-28, with the ability to effectively attack tightly protected facilities.
US and Israeli officials both confirmed that only the B-2 could carry the bomb and carry out ground-based attacks. In the context of escalating tensions, the deployment of the B-2 is a testament to the US's choice of the most advanced military technology to destroy Iran's nuclear program.
