Dan Caine Reveals Iran Strike Pilot's Words on Seeing Explosion
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine revealed what one of the pilots said to him after seeing the blast from the strike on the Iranian nuclear facility at Fordow.
Caine said the pilot, who was in a jet trailing the B-2 bombers that dropped the bunker-busters on the target: "This was the brightest explosion that I've ever seen, it literally looked like daylight."
The Pentagon was giving a briefing on Thursday morning about the bombing raid, giving more details about the operation, what the intelligence shows, and those who were involved.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was pushing back against earlier media reports of a leaked preliminary intelligence assessment that underestimated the extent of the damage caused by the strikes.
There were male and female aviators involved in the Iran mission, Caine said. They were from the active duty Air Force and the Missouri Air National Guard.
"A crew member told me when I talked to them on video the other day that this felt like the Super Bowl, the thousands of scientists, airmen, and maintainers all coming together," Caine said.
"When the crews went to work on Friday, they kissed their loved ones goodbye, not knowing when or if they'd be home.
"Late on Saturday night, their families became aware of what was happening. And on Sunday, when those jets returned from Whiteman, their families were there. Flags flying and tears flowing. I have chills literally talking about this."
This is a developing article. Updates to follow.
Related Articles
Defense Department Worker Charged with Stealing Top-Secret DocumentsB-2 Strikes on Iran Expose Limits of Elon Musk's 'Drone Swarms'Iranians Speak Out After US AttacksB2 Bombers Move Into Pacific As Israel Hits Iran Radar Near Strait of Hormuz
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Thousands Gather in Tehran to Mourn Dead from Israel Strikes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hundreds of thousands of people filled the streets of Iran's capital on Saturday for a state funeral honoring about 60 Iranians killed in Israeli strikes over the past few weeks, including top military commanders and nuclear scientists. Why It Matters In what President Donald Trump has called the "12 Day War," in mid-June Israel initially struck Tehran and several other cities in "Operation Rising Lion," a campaign it said was meant to preempt a planned Iranian attack and disrupt Iran's nuclear capabilities. Iran, which has said its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, retaliated, though Israeli defense systems—bolstered by U.S. military technology—intercepted nearly all incoming missile fire, according to Israeli officials, although Iran did strike a hospital southern Israel last week. More than 600 Iranians were reported killed by Israeli strikes, and 28 Israelis killed by Iranian strikes, with thousands wounded it both countries. Last weekend, the U.S. joined Israel in its war against Iran by bombing three nuclear sites, Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz, in the largest B-2 operation in U.S. history. There were no reported casualties. Israeli strikes killed civilians, nuclear scientists, and high-level military officials, such as Hossein Salami who served as the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, and Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC's Air Force. Thousands of Iranians attend the funeral ceremony for approximately 60 people killed in Israeli strikes on Iran, including high-ranking military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians, during a state funeral service in Enqelab Square on June... Thousands of Iranians attend the funeral ceremony for approximately 60 people killed in Israeli strikes on Iran, including high-ranking military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians, during a state funeral service in Enqelab Square on June 28, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. MoreWhat To Know On Saturday, thousands of mourners dressed in black flooded the streets of Tehran in a state funeral procession for about 60 of those killed in the strikes, with IRGC-affiliated outlet Tasnim News Agency describing them as "martyred." Caskets of the dead were covered in Iranian flags. The outlet reported the procession, in which participants were seen carrying flags and banners, commenced near the University of Tehran in Enghelab (Revolution) Square and ended at the Azadi (Freedom) Square. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian marched in the procession and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was seen giving his prayers, while Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not spotted. Mourners attend the funeral ceremony of the Iranian armed forces generals, nuclear scientists and their family members who were killed in Israeli strikes, at Islamic Revolution Square (Enghelab Square) square, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June... Mourners attend the funeral ceremony of the Iranian armed forces generals, nuclear scientists and their family members who were killed in Israeli strikes, at Islamic Revolution Square (Enghelab Square) square, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 28, 2025. More AP Photo/Vahid Salemi) Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency shared photos of various models of Iran's ballistic missiles showcased during the funeral procession. Pictures also showed Israeli and American flags being walked over and some burned, while the Associated Press reported that some people chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." Salami, who was honored on Saturday, had leveled a threat to the United States in May, saying Iran would "open the gates of hell" if attacked by Israel or America. He was a defiant voice against Israel and had praised Hezbollah's operations in its war against the country in 2024. Bagheri had warned for years that his forces were ready for military action against the country. Others commemorated included women, children and nuclear physicists involved in Iran's nuclear energy and enrichment activities. The state funeral comes days after a fragile ceasefire was agreed upon between Israel and Iran. People hold flags near posters displaying assassinated military leaders, including Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC Hossein Salami (C), as thousands of Iranians attend the funeral ceremony for approximately 60 people killed in Israeli strikes on Iran,... People hold flags near posters displaying assassinated military leaders, including Commander-in-Chief of the IRGC Hossein Salami (C), as thousands of Iranians attend the funeral ceremony for approximately 60 people killed in Israeli strikes on Iran, including high-ranking military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians, during a state funeral service in Enqelab Square on June 28, 2025 in Tehran, Iran. MoreWhat People Are Saying Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote in a Persian in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Saturday: "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you dear people; With love, you bid farewell to the martyrs of our homeland, and our voice of unity reached the ears of the world. We have learned from Husayn ibn Ali (peace be upon him) not to submit to humiliation and not to bow our heads before oppression. Serving such a noble nation is the honor of my life. Forever Iran " Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote in Persian on X on Saturday: "The Iranian nation should know that the reason for the opposition to America is that they want Iran to surrender, and this is a great insult to the Iranian nation by the Americans, and such a thing will never happen." President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that the U.S. would "absolutely" consider bombing Iran against if it is found enriching uranium to "concerning" levels. What Happens Next The ceasefire between Israel and Iran, which went into effect on June 24, remains fragile. Trump said the U.S. and Iran are due to hold new talks about the country's nuclear capabilities. "We're going to talk to them next week, with Iran," Trump said at the NATO summit in the Netherlands on Wednesday. "We may sign an agreement. I don't know." On Saturday, Araghchi posted on X, "If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers."
The Hill
3 hours ago
- The Hill
Nikki Haley hails Trump for US strikes but warns ‘Iran is not done'
Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley offered her first praise for President Trump in several months in a Monday op-ed in Israel Hayom, an Israeli right-wing newspaper. She congratulated his decision to strike three Iranian nuclear sites but warned of further retaliation from Iran. 'Those in America that worry about why these strikes took place should understand that those strikes were a move to keep Americans safer. That was a move to take out one of the threats that Iran has used against Americans for years,' Haley wrote in the outlet owned by Republican megadonor Miriam Adelson. Israel Hayom is distributed in Hebrew and is also available online in English. The op-ed is a rare public appearance for Haley, who has largely faded from public view since the 2024 election. When she has spoken on Trump's foreign policy decisions in recent months, she has often criticized them, panning him for a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin and slamming his acceptance of a Qatari jet. In the opinion piece, however, Haley praised Trump's decision as 'very well done' while arguing that the United States should continue to be hawkish on Iran for the sake of both America and Israel. 'A safe and secure Israel helps us have a safe and secure America,' she wrote, arguing that the chance of diplomacy with Tehran was thin. 'They always say they want to talk, but the action doesn't match what they want to do,' she wrote. 'Trump was right that while you could kick this can down the road if you wanted, the threat would only get bigger.' She also took aim at the United Nations after Secretary-General António Guterres said he was 'gravely alarmed' by the strikes, accusing the international arbiter of failing to condemn Iran's moves on ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. Haley finished by warning that America and Israel both needed to remain on guard. 'Americans need to be vigilant of our military bases in the region. We need to be vigilant of cyber attacks that could come our way through Iran. Iran is not done,' she wrote. As Trump's ambassador to the United Nations during his first term, Haley made the case both to him and to the global stage that the United States should back out of its 2015 nuclear deal with Iran. In the 2024 Republican presidential primary, during which she attempted to criticize the president, she also positioned herself as both a staunch defender of Israel and a Middle East hawk. After being the last of Trump's primary challengers to bow out, Haley failed to secure a place in his administration (she claimed she wanted no part in it). She is currently at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank, and making her way around the speaker circuit.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
US did not use bunker-buster bombs on one of Iran's nuclear sites, top general tells lawmakers, citing depth of the target
The US military did not use bunker-buster bombs on one of Iran's largest nuclear sites last weekend because the site is so deep that the bombs likely would not have been effective, the US' top general told senators during a briefing on Thursday. The comment by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, which was described by three people who heard his remarks and a fourth who was briefed on them, is the first known explanation given for why the US military did not use the Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb against the Isfahan site in central Iran. US officials believe Isfahan's underground structures house nearly 60% of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile, which Iran would need in order to ever produce a nuclear weapon. US B2 bombers dropped over a dozen bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites. But Isfahan was only struck by Tomahawk missiles launched from a US submarine. The classified briefing to lawmakers was conducted by Caine, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe. A spokesperson for Caine declined to comment, noting that he cannot comment on the chairman's classified briefing to Congress. During the briefing, Ratcliffe told lawmakers that the US intelligence community assesses that the majority of Iran's enriched nuclear material is buried at Isfahan and Fordow, according to a US official. Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy told CNN on Thursday night after receiving the briefing that some of Iran's capabilities 'are so far underground that we can never reach them. So they have the ability to move a lot of what has been saved into areas where there's no American bombing capacity that can reach it.' An early assessment produced by the Defense Intelligence Agency in the day after the US strikes said the attack did not destroy the core components of the country's nuclear program, including its enriched uranium, and likely only set the program back by months, CNN has reported. It also said Iran may have moved some of the enriched uranium out of the sites before they were attacked. The Trump officials who briefed lawmakers this week sidestepped questions about the whereabouts of Iran's stockpile of already-enriched uranium. President Donald Trump again claimed Friday that nothing was moved from the three Iranian sites before the US military operation. But Republican lawmakers emerged from the classified briefings on Thursday acknowledging that the US military strikes may not have eliminated all of Iran's nuclear materials. But they argued that doing so was not part of the military's mission. 'There is enriched uranium in the facilities that moves around, but that was not the intent or the mission,' Republican Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas told CNN. 'My understanding is most of it's still there. So we need a full accounting. That's why Iran has to come to the table directly with us, so the (International Atomic Energy Agency) can account for every ounce of enriched uranium that's there. I don't think it's going out of the country, I think it's at the facilities.' 'The purpose of the mission was to eliminate certain particular aspects of their nuclear program. Those were eliminated. To get rid of the nuclear material was not part of the mission,' GOP Rep. Greg Murphy told CNN. 'Here's where we're at: the program was obliterated at those three sites. But they still have ambitions,' said Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. 'I don't know where the 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium exists. But it wasn't part of the targets there.' '(The sites) were obliterated. Nobody can use them anytime soon,' Graham also said. Weapons expert and professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies Jeffrey Lewis told CNN that commercial satellite images show that Iran has accessed the tunnels at Isfahan. 'There were a moderate number of vehicles present at Isfahan on June 26 and at least one of the tunnel entrances was cleared of obstructions by mid-morning June 27,' Lewis said. 'If Iran's stockpile of (highly enriched uranium) was still in the tunnel when Iran sealed the entrances, it may be elsewhere now.' Additional satellite imagery captured on June 27 by Planet Labs show the entrance to the tunnels were open at the time, according to Lewis. The preliminary DIA assessment noted that the nuclear sites' above ground structures were moderately to severely damaged, CNN has reported. That damage could make it a lot harder for Iran to access any enriched uranium that does remain underground, sources said, something that Graham alluded to on Thursday. 'These strikes did a lot of damage to those three facilities,' Murphy, the Connecticut Democrat, told CNN on Thursday night. 'But Iran still has the know-how to put back together a nuclear program. And if they still have that enriched material, and if they still have centrifuges, and if they still have the capability to very quickly move those centrifuges into what we call a cascade, we have not set back that program by years. We have set it back by months.' Caine and Hegseth on Thursday said the military operation against Fordow went exactly as planned but did not mention the impacts to Isfahan and Natanz. CNN's Manu Raju contributed to this report.
