During the night of 21–22 June, the United States carried out a coordinated strike on three key facilities in Iran’s nuclear programme: Natanz, Isfahan and Fordo. The operation—confirmed by President Donald Trump in a White House address—combined stealth B-2 Spirit bombers with Tomahawk cruise missiles, reportedly fired from submarine assets.
B-2s Straight from Missouri: Guam as a Decoy?
Contrary to early speculation that Guam would serve as the launch point, at least seven B-2A Spirits are believed to have taken off directly from Whiteman AFB, Missouri, flying deep over the Atlantic on an ultra-long-range.
A simultaneous transfer of additional B-2s to Andersen AFB (Guam)—well-documented by public photos and tracking logs—now appears to have been a deliberate decoy, designed to mislead Iranian intelligence and OSINT observers.
Crossing the Pacific
The only flight track that matches the timeframe is a Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker (tail 62-3578) that landed at Honolulu at about 20:00 CEST after roughly four hours in the air. The tanker likely formed part of the aerial-refuelling chain supporting the mission, implying a trans-Pacific route for the”decoy” B-2s (callsign MYTEE) .
The Strike: MOPs and Tomahawks
According to Fox News and The New York Times, the underground complex at Fordo was hit by up to 12 GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) released by the B-2s. Each 30,000-lb bomb is designed to punch through more than 60 metres of reinforced concrete.
In parallel, 30 Tomahawk Land-Attack Missiles were reportedly launched from an Ohio-class guided-missile submarine—most likely USS Georgia (SSGN-729)—against targets at Isfahan and Natanz. Notably, USS Georgia entered the region several weeks ago after an extended deployment in the Mediterranean.
ISR Activity in the Strait of Hormuz
This morning, a U.S. Navy MQ-4C Triton (reg. 169661, callsign OVERLORD 01) was tracked at 48,000 ft near the Strait of Hormuz, flying a pattern consistent with an ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) mission. The drone likely monitored Iranian reactions and provided situational awareness for U.S. naval forces in the area.
U.S. Naval Presence: Integrated Deterrence
The strike occurred while U.S. naval forces in the wider Middle East remain on high alert:
- USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in the Arabian Sea
- USS Nimitz (CVN-68) entering the theatre
- USS Forrest Sherman (DDG-98) and USS Truxtun (DDG-103) in the Red Sea
- Five Burke-class destroyers with BMD capability in the Mediterranean:
- USS Arleigh Burke, USS Thomas Hudner, USS The Sullivans,
- USS Paul Ignatius, USS Oscar Austin
These ships can intercept ballistic missiles, shielding Israel and U.S. bases across Europe and the Middle East.
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