This is the B2 Spirit, the deadly stealth bomber used by the US to attack nuclear facilities in Iran.

In an unprecedented military operation, the United States has deployed its most advanced fleet of stealth bombers, the B-2 Spirit , to attack three key nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan . The offensive has been confirmed by the Pentagon as the largest mission ever carried out using this type of aircraft and marks a turning point in the escalating conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Furthermore, as we explained in 20minutos, this military operation — called Midnight Hammer — has been a mission prepared for months and has included decoys to catch Iran off guard .

This is the B-2 Spirit, the most lethal, invisible and expensive aircraft ever built .

What is the B-2 Spirit and why is it so feared?

The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is one of the most sophisticated aircraft in the US arsenal. Designed to penetrate high-density air defenses undetected , its distinctive flying wing shape, combined with cutting-edge stealth technology, allows it to evade radar, thermal sensors, and other surveillance systems .

This strategic bomber, manufactured by Northrop Grumman Corporation , has a range of more than 9,600 kilometers without refueling , which can be extended through in-flight refueling. On the mission over Iran, seven B-2s flew undetected for 18 hours, minimizing communications and refueling mid-air, the US military revealed on Sunday.

Looking at its specifications, the B‑2 Spirit is one of the most sophisticated aircraft ever built : with a wingspan of 52 meters and a flying wing design that minimizes its radar footprint, this stealth bomber can reach an operational ceiling of 15,240 meters and cover intercontinental distances undetected. It is powered by four engines capable of generating a thrust of over 17,300 pounds each, allowing it to carry around 18 tons of ordnance, whether conventional or nuclear bombs.

Each unit costs more than $2 billion , a figure that makes it the most expensive aircraft in the world.

A bit of history: According to official records , the first B-2 was put on public display on November 22, 1988, when it rolled out of its hangar at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California. Its first flight took place approximately six months later, on July 17, 1989 . However, it wasn’t until 1999 that its capabilities were first tested: during the Kosovo War, in the so-called ‘Operation Allied Force’, in which six B-2 bombers departed directly—nonstop—from the Whiteman base (Missouri) to drop bombs on targets in Yugoslavia. “ It was responsible for the destruction of 33% of all Serbian targets in the first eight weeks ,” they state on the US Air Force website.

The attack on Iran: how the United States managed to enter undetected

During Operation Midnight Hammer , a total of seven B-2s delivered for the first time in combat the GBU-57 MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator ) bunker-buster bomb , a 30,000-pound projectile designed to destroy underground facilities protected with several feet of reinforced concrete.

According to US media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times , 14 GBU-57s were used to hit the Fordow and Natanz complexes . Meanwhile, a US submarine launched Tomahawk missiles at Isfahan in a diversionary maneuver.

That's precisely one of the most surprising details of this operation: its level of tactical stealth. The Pentagon initially sent six decoy aircraft to the Pacific, while the seven B-2s intended for the actual attack headed toward the Middle East without arousing suspicion.

Defense Department sources have described the damage as extremely severe , although Tehran has downplayed the attack, saying its nuclear infrastructure remains operational and the explosions were superficial, Iranian media reported.

Satellite images show craters and destroyed structures on the surface of Fordow, although experts caution that Iran's true nuclear capability lies tens of meters underground. In the absence of official confirmation, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) has not detected any radiation releases , suggesting that no active nuclear materials were damaged.