US Bombers Flew 37 Hours Non-Stop, Refuelled Mid-Air To Hit Iran Nuclear Sites

US Bombers Flew 37 Hours Non-Stop, Refuelled Mid-Air To Hit Iran Nuclear Sites

The US stealth bombers struck three key Iranian nuclear sites: Natanz, Esfahan, and Fordow

US B-2 Spirit bombers flew non-stop for about  from Missouri to deliver what President Donald Trump called a “very successful attack” on Iran’s nuclear programme early Sunday.

The stealth bombers, refuelling several times mid-air, struck three key Iranian nuclear sites: , Natanz, and Esfahan. 

“Fordow is gone,” Trump said, referring to the heavily fortified underground facility long considered Tehran’s most secure nuclear site.

He praised the mission as an ” and warned Iran that they should “make peace immediately or they’ll get hit again.”

The strikes, carried out with a combination of bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk missiles, were the most direct US military action against Iran in years. Trump said six bunker-buster bombs were dropped on Fordow, and around 30 Tomahawk missiles targeted other nuclear installations.

The Pentagon confirmed  were used in the attack, which came after days of rising tensions and a week of escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran.

On Saturday, the US had repositioned B-2 bombers to the Pacific island of Guam. These aircraft are capable of deploying the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, designed to destroy deeply buried targets like Fordow.

An Iranian official, cited by Tasnim news agency, confirmed damage to part of the Fordow site from “enemy airstrikes.”

The US strike followed a series of  on Iranian nuclear facilities in recent days. While Israel has successfully carried out covert operations in the past, experts believe it lacked the firepower to breach Fordow’s defences.

Trump’s decision to join the campaign marked a major escalation. “All US planes are safely on their way home,” Trump posted on Truth Social, congratulating “our great American Warriors.” He is expected to address the nation in a televised Oval Office speech later on the day.

The Israeli government said it coordinated closely with Washington, and Trump spoke with Prime Minister  following the strikes.

The attack comes after Israel launched preemptive strikes on Iran, claiming Tehran was weeks away from building a nuclear bomb. More than 400 people have reportedly died in Iran, and over 3,500 have been injured. In Israel, at least 14 people have been killed and over 1,200 injured in retaliatory missile strikes, the worst flare-up between the two adversaries in recent history.

On June 21, 2025, President Donald Trump authorized U.S. airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan (also known as Isfahan)

The operation marked the first-ever U.S. airstrike on Iranian soil, conducted in coordination with Israeli forces. Trump declared it a “spectacular military success”, stating that Iranian nuclear capabilities had been “obliterated”, and warned of possible further strikes if Iran retaliates

A sensational detail in some reports claimed that six B‑2 stealth bombers flew non-stop for 37 hours from Missouri to Iran, refueled mid-air multiple times, delivered 30,000‑lb bunker‑busting bombs, and returned without landing

B‑2 bombers are indeed capable of deploying the GBU‑57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), the only munition in the U.S. arsenal capable of penetrating deeply buried bunkers like Fordow

B‑2s are known for long-duration flights with mid-air refueling, though specifics like a 37-hour continuous sortie remain unconfirmed by official sources.

Reports cite six bunker-buster bombs dropped over Fordow, with other targets hit via submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles

Bottom line: It’s possible and technically feasible, based on the bomber’s capabilities, but no official confirmation has been provided that the mission was a single uninterrupted 37-hour sortie from the U.S. to Iran and back.

A secure uranium enrichment site located 300 ft underground in a mountain near Qom

Targeted using six GBU‑57 MOPs, delivered by B‑2 bombers

Iran’s largest enrichment facility, also fortified underground.

Hit with a combination of Tomahawk missiles and one or more MOP bombs dropped by B‑2sAn important uranium conversion facility.

Targeted via Tomahawk missiles launched from submarines ~400 miles offshore

Iran’s foreign minister has condemned the strikes as illegal, promising retaliation

Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu praised the U.S. involvement, linking it to Israel’s own earlier strikes

International reaction has been mixed — with U.S. Republicans largely backing the move, Democrats and foreign allies expressing alarm over escalation and Congressional bypass

Legal experts and international law watchers questioned the legitimacy of the strikes, citing lack of UN authorization .

• Experts warn that while the strikes may delay or damage Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, they won’t eliminate uranium stockpiles. Iran could accelerate weaponization underground or expel inspectors
• With deep tunnels in Natanz and Fordow, even MOP bombs may not fully neutralize the program
• Iran has already launched limited missile strikes at Israel, causing injuries and damage .
• U.S. and Israeli regional allies on high alert, due to threats from Iran-aligned militias and Houthi rebels

Karim Sadjadpour (Iran scholar) described the strikes as shockingly unpredictable, warning of unpredictable Iranian retaliation and domestic instability in Tehran

Justin Bronk (Royal United Services Institute) argued that military action is unlikely to destroy Iran’s nuclear pathway, which may drive it further underground and hasten nuclearization

IAEA assessments confirm no “off-site radiation”, though unclear how long-site contamination or damage may persist

Not officially. Some news outlets (The Sun, New York Post) reported the prolonged flight and refueling logistics. But no official military statement or credible intelligence source has definitively affirmed a 37-hour, nonstop sortie from the U.S. .

Given the aircraft’s operational range, refueling capability, and past missions (e.g., flights to Diego Garcia), such a mission is within possibility, but must be treated as unverified claim until confirmed.

Read Also : Apple Watch Update: 1 Game-Changing Feature You’ll Want Immediately