US B-2 bombers strike Iranian nuclear facilities with GBU‑57 bombs

In June 2025 the United States deployed seven B‑2 Spirit stealth bombers to Iranian airspace and dropped a total of 14 GBU‑57 massive bunker‑busting bombs on the nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. The operation was reported as remaining undetected until later analysis.

The B‑2 aircraft can fly more than 11,000 km without refuelling, carry up to 18,000 kg of ordnance and are equipped with advanced stealth technology that reduces radar and heat signatures. Only 20 B‑2s are active; each cost roughly US$727 million to build, with development expenses bringing the total system cost to over $4 billion. The strikes represent a rare use of the United States’ most expensive weapon against Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

The attack underscores heightened US‑Iran tensions and the strategic capability of long‑range stealth bombers to target heavily fortified facilities far from US bases.