The United States formally entered the Israel-Iran conflict, as it bombed three nuclear facilities in Iran early Sunday morning local time.US President Donald Trump, who earlier gave himself a 2-week window to decide on whether to strike Iran or not, announced the air strikes in a post on his Truth Social platform.“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote.Later, in an address to the nation, Trump announced that the US Air Force’s B-2 Spirit bombers hit Tehran’s nuclear facilities.Read | US hits Iran’s nuclear facilities: White House shares images of Donald Trump inside Situation Room
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What are B-2 Spirit bombers? Why were they used?Built by American aerospace firm Northrop Grumman, the B-2 Spirit is more famous as the Stealth. It is capable of entering sophisticated air defenses and conducting precision strikes against hardened targets such as underground nuclear research facilities, like the ones in Iran.The B-2 is the most expensive military aircraft ever built, as each unit costs about $2.1 billion. It has a range of over 6,000 nautical miles without refuelling, enabling strike capabilities from US continental bases. On the other hand, with aerial refuelling, it can reach virtually any target worldwide.A 2-pilot aircraft, the B-2 has a payload capacity of more than 40,000 pounds, and can thus carry a diverse array of both conventional and nuclear weapons. It is also equipped with large ordnance loads, which could include two GBU-57A/B MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator), and a 30,000-pound precision-guided “bunker buster” bomb.The MOP is the largest conventional bomb in the US arsenal, specifically engineered to defeat hardened underground bunkers.Read |’The bully must now make peace’: What Donald Trump said after Iran strike; top quotes
