Intelligence: U.S. Defense Secretary confirms full destruction of Iranian nuclear sites thanks to GBU-57 bomb capability.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth publicly confirmed during a press conference held at the Pentagon, on June 26, 2025, the full destruction of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure following a precision strike led by B-2 Spirit bombers utilizing the 13,600 kg (30,000-pound) GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb. This announcement puts to rest speculation stemming from recently leaked intelligence reports, which claimed that Iran’s nuclear program may have only been temporarily set back. Secretary Hegseth firmly refuted these claims, reaffirming that Iran’s most critical nuclear assets have been permanently dismantled.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, details the GBU-57’s destructive power during a Pentagon press briefing on June 26, 2025, confirming the complete destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

Operation Midnight Hammer, directed personally by U.S. President Donald J. Trump, was executed on June 21, 2025, and targeted Iran’s most secure and deeply buried nuclear sites: the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, Natanz Nuclear Facility, and Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center. According to General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Fordow site, located more than 80 meters underground and reinforced with layers of concrete and rock, was the primary challenge. Its elimination required not only technological superiority but also years of dedicated intelligence gathering and weapons development.

The success of the strike was made possible by the GBU-57, a weapon whose development spanned more than a decade and a half. In 2009, two Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) officers began an in-depth classified analysis after discovering satellite imagery of what was believed to be Iran’s covert nuclear site beneath the mountains near Qom. Over the years, these specialists worked in secrecy with the U.S. defense industry and military laboratories to create a munition capable of striking targets previously considered unreachable. Hundreds of test firings and simulations were conducted on hardened test sites across the United States, ultimately producing a bomb capable of penetrating 60 meters of reinforced concrete before detonating a high-yield warhead.

The operation, conducted with unmatched stealth and precision, involved a coordinated strike package that included B-2 Spirit bombers, F-22 Raptors, and F-35 fighter jets for air cover, as well as RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft for real-time intelligence collection. A total of 14 GBU-57 bombs were deployed in a synchronized sequence targeting entry shafts, ventilation systems, and central reactor cores. The Pentagon confirmed that all munitions functioned as intended, with zero in-flight anomalies or targeting deviations. Intelligence assessments from the National Reconnaissance Office and satellite-based infrared imagery confirmed that all three sites were destroyed beyond any possible recovery.

During the press conference, Secretary Hegseth addressed rumors suggesting Iran had preemptively relocated enriched uranium and sensitive equipment. “These are baseless fabrications,” Hegseth declared. “The real-time ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance] feeds monitored all known storage and transfer points. No movement occurred prior to impact.” He emphasized that misinformation was likely a deliberate effort to obscure the scale of the strategic setback suffered by Tehran.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who were both involved in briefing the President before and after the operation, confirmed that rebuilding Iran’s nuclear capacity would require a minimum of five to eight years under optimal conditions. Given international sanctions and heightened surveillance, such reconstruction is deemed virtually impossible in the near future.

Operation Midnight Hammer is now being hailed as the most advanced and successful counter-proliferation strike in modern history. Beyond eliminating a significant threat, the operation sent a resounding message about U.S. capabilities in countering underground strategic targets. It showcased not only technological achievement but also strategic foresight and the culmination of years of silent preparation. Defense analysts consider the mission a new benchmark in deep-strike warfare, with the GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs serving as a deterrent for any adversary contemplating subterranean militarization.