Operation Midnight Hammer – US Precision Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
Source: NDTV
Category: International Relations | Defence | Strategic Affairs
Why In News: Operation Midnight Hammer
The United States has launched Operation Midnight Hammer, a classified precision airstrike targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Key nuclear sites such as Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were struck using stealth bombers and bunker-buster bombs.
What is Operation Midnight Hammer?
- A covert US military operation aimed at crippling Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities.
- Executed by the US Department of Defense using advanced air power and precision-guided munitions.
Objective:
- To degrade Iran’s nuclear program and showcase US strategic strike capabilities.
- Intended as a deterrent and a demonstration of readiness to prevent nuclear proliferation.
Weapons & Assets Used:
- B-2 Spirit stealth bombers carrying:
- GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs)
- Tomahawk Cruise Missiles fired from a US Navy submarine
- Decoy aircraft and fighter escorts for air defence suppression and operational support
About B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber:
- Developer: Northrop Grumman (Late 1980s)
- Type: Strategic long-range stealth bomber
- Function: Can carry both nuclear and conventional munitions while evading radar detection
Key Features:
- Cost: ~$2.1 billion per aircraft
- Range: Over 6,000 nautical miles without refueling
- Payload: 40,000+ lbs
- Can carry 2 GBU-57A/B bunker-busters or 16 B83 nuclear bombs
- Crew: Two pilots with automated systems
- Stealth: Radar cross-section as small as a bird — extremely low observability
- Weapons Capability:
- MOPs: 30,000 lbs, penetrates over 200 feet of reinforced concrete
- JDAM, JSOW, JASSM-ER for precision conventional attacks
- Nuclear armament as part of the US nuclear triad
Significance:
- Strategic demonstration of US technological and military superiority
- Capable of neutralizing heavily fortified underground facilities
- Plays a key role in:
- Deterrence
- First-strike readiness
- Global power projection
- Proven combat deployment in Afghanistan, Libya, and now Iran
Prelims Power Shots:
- Operation Midnight Hammer targeted which country? → Iran
- B-2 Spirit is developed by? → Northrop Grumman
- Which bomb was used for deep penetration? → GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator
- What type of bomber is the B-2? → Stealth long-range strategic bomber
