US Defense Officials Reveal Details Behind Strikes on Iranian Nuclear Facilities
In a detailed Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, laid out the strategic planning and execution of recent US airstrikes on Iran's nuclear sites. To back their claims, the Pentagon released test footage showing the devastating effects of bunker-buster bombs used during the operation.
Behind the Precision of the Strikes
General Caine showcased videos demonstrating how these specialized bombs function. Unlike conventional munitions, bunker-busters are engineered to penetrate deeply underground before detonating, causing damage invisible on the surface. According to Caine, the bombs primarily utilize blast and overpressure mechanisms to neutralize targets within fortified underground facilities.
The strikes employed 12 bunker-buster bombs, primarily targeting ventilation shafts at the heavily fortified Fordow uranium enrichment site. The bombs struck at striking speeds exceeding 1,000 feet per second, delivering precise and overwhelming damage to deeply buried infrastructure. Each side of the site was targeted with an initial bomb to open the shafts, followed by additional munitions to maximize destruction, with a final bomb poised as a contingency in case any earlier shots failed.
Challenging Reports of Limited Damage
Despite a classified Defense Intelligence Agency report suggesting the attacks only set back Iran’s nuclear program by a few months without obliterating the sites, Pentagon officials strongly refuted these claims. Secretary Hegseth described the strikes as “decimating” and “obliterating,” dismissing the report as low-confidence and incomplete.
Hegseth also expressed frustration with media skepticism, accusing some outlets of downplaying the operation's success due to political biases. Meanwhile, General Caine honored the skilled personnel behind the mission: from specialists who studied Fordow’s subterranean layout for 15 years, to the engineers who crafted the massive 30,000-pound bombs, and the crew that flew the grueling 37-hour mission.
Additional Strikes and Intelligence Efforts
Further strikes affected Iran’s Natanz and Isfahan nuclear facilities. Natanz was hit with two penetrator bombs, while Isfahan endured a missile launched from a US Navy submarine. When questioned about the uranium stockpiled underground at Isfahan, officials said intelligence assessments are ongoing to determine the full impact.
President Donald Trump commented on social media, noting that vehicles spotted at the sites belonged to workers attempting to conceal ventilation shafts with concrete before the attacks, emphasizing the high risk and difficulty of removing materials from such fortified sites.
What Makes Bunker-Busters So Effective?
- Penetrate deep underground to target hardened facilities.
- Detonate inside, causing structural collapse and critical system failures.
- Effectiveness often not visible on surface but catastrophic below.
This operation underscores the technical complexity and strategic precision behind modern military strikes on underground targets, highlighting both the challenge and importance of neutralizing nuclear threats discreetly yet decisively.
