Explainer: How US stealth bombers hit Iranâs deepest bunkers from 13,000km away
US B-2 stealth bombers flew 13,000km from Missouri to Iran, air-refuelled en route, to deploy GBU-57 âMassive Ordnance Penetratorâ bombs â the heaviest conventional weapons (13,600kg) in Americaâs arsenal.
Designed to pierce 60m of concrete/rock before detonating their 2,400kg warheads, these bunker-busters target underground facilities like Fordowâs enrichment plant.
The B-2âs radar-evading stealth allows it to penetrate defended airspace undetected, though each bomber carries just two MOPs due to their size.
With global strike capability in hours, this mission demonstrates the USâs unique capacity to hit hardened nuclear sites that evade Israeli missiles.
The operation highlights escalating technical warfare as Iran deepens its fortified installations.