Iran. Operation Midnight Hammer by the United States. The United States strikes three key nuclear sites in Iran, as the Iran-Israel conflict enters its second week: the Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz sites. The Fordow site is particularly significant because it is believed to be largely intact at depth after the Israeli strikes and before the American ones. It is located near the holy city of Qom and buried deep in a mountain range 80 to 90 meters underground. The United States is the only country with the type of bomb needed to strike that depth, as previously stated by Israeli officials and independent sources. “Iran can convert its current stockpile of 60% enriched uranium into 233 kg of weapons-grade uranium in three weeks at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant,” enough for nine nuclear weapons, according to the nonpartisan Institute for Science and International Security. Recent IAEA reports suggest that Iran has increased production of 60% enriched uranium at Fordow. The plant now contains 2,700 centrifuges, according to experts and the IAEA. At the Natanz Uranium Enrichment Plant, Iran’s largest uranium enrichment site, which contains 14,000 underground centrifuges capable of enriching uranium up to 60%, was hit. Finally, the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, which houses several facilities that convert yellowcake into uranium hexafluoride, produced reactor fuel and uranium metal for nuclear weapons. The United States used six B-2 bombers armed with 12 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs on Fordow and two on Natanz for a total of 14 MOPs, as well as 30 submarine-launched Tomahawk missiles (probably the USS Georgia-class) on targets at Natanz and Isfahan. The 13,000 kg (30,000 lb) GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb has a weight that allows it to penetrate approximately 18 m (60 ft) of concrete or 61 m (200 ft) of earth before exploding. The B-2 stealth bomber is the only U.S. military aircraft capable of carrying 6.2 m (20.5 ft) long MOP bombs. B-2s have a range of approximately 6,000 nautical miles (9,600 km) without refueling, but can also be refueled in flight. In the past, they have operated from a limited number of bases, including the US base at Whiteman, Missouri, and the British base at Diego Garcia. Six B-2 bombers were photographed at Diego Garcia in early April, but the UK has maintained that the base has not been used by the US for nighttime strikes against Iran.
