Latest news with #B-2Stealth
Indian Express
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Fordow nuclear site seriously, heavily damaged': Iran minister acknowledges damage at nuclear site in US bombing
First time acknowledging the impact of the US strike on Iran's key Fordow nuclear site, Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the American bombing has 'seriously and heavily damaged' the nuclear facility, CBS News reported. During an interview with CBS News broadcast on Tuesday, Araghchi said 'No one exactly knows what has transpired in Fordow. That being said, what we know so far is that the facilities have been seriously and heavily damaged.' However, a Washington Post report quoting four people familiar with classified intelligence circulating within the US government, stated that intercepted Iranian communications downplayed the damage caused by the American strikes on three key nuclear sites of Iran. FM @araghchi in an interview with CBS: The damage inflicted on the #Fordow nuclear site has been extensive and very serious.#Iran's nuclear program remains peaceful; we have no intention of moving toward nuclear weapons. — Iran's Today (@Iran) July 2, 2025 Detailing the Iranian report on strikes, Araghchi said 'The Atomic Energy Organization of the Islamic Republic of Iran… is currently undertaking evaluation and assessment, the report of which will be submitted to the government.' US President Donald Trump, while addressing the nation after the American military bombed Tehran's nuclear facilities, said the strikes 'completely and totally obliterated' Iran's nuclear program. Though the US officials acknowledged last weekend that it'll take time to form a complete assessment of the damage caused by the American military strikes. The United States on June 22 joined Israel's offensive against Iran and launched operation 'Midnight Hammer' to target three nuclear facilities of Iran, namely Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan and the operation involved 125 US military aircraft, including seven B-2 Stealth bombers. About two dozen cruise missiles were also launched at the Isfahan nuclear site from a submarine by the US military. One of the major strikes by the United States was on Fordow nuclear enrichment facility buried deep below a mountain outside Tehran, and is considered vital to Iran's nuclear ambitions. At least 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) were dropped at the Fordow site. After the strikes, Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the United States and Qatar and the 12-day conflict between the two warring nations came to a pause on June 24.
Indian Express
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Satellite images show work ongoing at Iran's Fordow nuclear site bombed by US: Report
New satellite visuals have revealed work is continuing at the Fordow nuclear site of Iran, which was struck by the United States military last week with B-2 Stealth bombers, a CNN report stated. President Donald Trump had claimed that US strikes had 'completely and totally obliterated' Iran's three nuclear sites. The satellite images were released by Maxar Technologies on Sunday and they contradict the claims made by the Trump administration. 'The images reveal ongoing activity at and near the ventilation shafts and holes caused by last week's airstrikes on the Fordow fuel enrichment complex,' said Maxar. The images by Maxar detailed that activities had started at Fordow nuclear plant and an excavator and several personnel were seen positioned next to the northern shaft on the bridge which is above the ground complex. A crane is seen in the satellite images operating at the entrance of the shaft. Maxar Technologies stated that multiple vehicles were also visible in the images below the ridge and are parked along the path which was built to access the nuclear plant. The United States launched 'Operation Midnight Hammer' on June 22 which involved 125 aircrafts, including B-2 Stealth bombers and targeted Iran's three nuclear facilities: Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. The US military dropped more than a dozen bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites, while the US submarine hit Isfahan site in central Iran with Tomahawk missiles. A statement by Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs targeted the two ventilation shafts at Fordow. At a Pentagon press briefing, Caine said 'most of the bombs dropped at Fordow were tasked to enter the main shaft, move down into the complex at greater than 1,000 feet per second, and explode in the mission space.' President Trump, while addressing the nation regarding the US strike on Tehran, had said 'Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.' (with inputs from CNN)
Indian Express
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘US must rule out more strikes before new talks,' says Iran minister amid Israel-Iran ceasefire
The United States must eliminate any possibility of further strikes on Iran if it wants to resume diplomatic talks, Tehran's Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said amid a ceasefire in hostilities between Israel and Iran announced last week, which was brokered by US President Donald Trump and Qatar. Ravanchi said that the Trump administration conveyed its message to Tehran via mediators that it wants to return to the negotiation table regarding Iran's nuclear program but had 'not made their position clear' on the 'very important question' as talks take place between the two countries, reported BBC. In the last couple of months, the US and Iran have had at least five rounds of mainly indirect talks regarding the Islamic Republic's nuclear program and the sanctions imposed by Washington. The sixth round of talks were scheduled to take place on June 15 in Muscat but Israel launched its offensive against Tehran on June 13 and the plan for further talks were foiled. The United States also got directly involved in the conflict between Tel Aviv and Tehran, when its 125 military aircrafts, including B-2 Stealth bombers dropped bombs and targeted three Iranian nuclear sites, namely Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. America codenamed the operation as 'Midnight Hammer'. Ravanchi reiterated Iran's stance of allowing to enrich uranium as they are for 'peaceful purposes' and rejected the accusations of the West that Tehran was secretly developing a nuclear weapon. Iran's deputy foreign minister said 'The level of that can be discussed, the capacity can be discussed, but to say that you should not have enrichment, you should have zero enrichment, and if you do not agree, we will bomb you, that is the law of the jungle,' BBC reported. The extent of damage to Iran's nuclear program due to strikes by the US and Israel remains unclear and the minister refused to give an exact assessment of the situation.
Bangkok Post
28-06-2025
- General
- Bangkok Post
The bombers that look like giant bats
Anyone who has observed those B-2 Stealth bombers used by the US in Iran last week will be aware of the unique futuristic design that some say makes them resemble giant bats. Opinion is divided on whether these planes are an inspired example of beautiful modern engineering and technology or just plain ugly. They certainly look a bit sinister, but then so do most planes designed for dropping bombs. Over the years the bombers have tended not to be as aesthetically pleasing as the fighter jets which are a lot more sleek, versatile and easier on the eye. Even back in World War II the British Spitfire fighter plane looked so graceful as it swooped around the skies it was sometimes likened to a swallow and much-loved by the pilots who appreciated its manoeuvrability. The B-52 bombers that preceded the B-2s are still in operation and were certainly not known for their beauty. These planes were very busy during the Vietnam War and many were based in U-Tapao. The Thai populace referred to them as "Bee Hasip-sawng" (B-52) but the Americans had a more colourful nickname, (BUFF) which stood for "Big Ugly Fat Fellow" although the last word was usually replaced by an expletive. In the early 1970s I recall standing on the Rayong roadside watching the B-52s taking off from U-Tapao on their daily missions to North Vietnam. It was both an awesome and scary experience. The noise was deafening and they were an intimidating sight. They carried such heavy payloads of bombs it made you wonder how they even managed to get off the ground. Down the hatch The B-52 also became the name for a particularly lethal cocktail. It had numerous variations but the basic ingredients involved three layers consisting of Kahlua (coffee liqueur), Baileys Irish Cream and Grande Marnier (French liqueur). The more adventurous could try "B-52 With Bomb Bay Doors" which added a fourth layer of Bombay Gin. For those who really wanted to punish themselves there was "B-52 with a Full Payload" which includes a fifth layer featuring Bacardi rum. I might just stick to beer. Beehive Rock There was also a successful American rock group named the B-52s. In fact they were originally known for many years as the B-52's featuring a stray apostrophe which was eventually dropped in 2011. The group which was formed in 1976 acquired their name from the popular B-52 beehive hairdo at that time which resembled the distinctive nose cone of the bomber. The two terrific female singers in the group, Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson both wore beehives during their energetic concert performances. The group had a string of hits with the most successful being "Love Shack" and "Rock Lobster". But it is one of their lesser-known songs that more recently caught my attention. It has a most intriguing title which will surface in the next item. From Ipanema to Greenland When Greenland gets back in the news, as it surely will, I reckon the B-52s song "Girl From Ipanema Goes to Greenland" released in 1986 could become a hit again. For a start, it's a great title for a song. Donald Trump might even like it. It would at least make a welcome change from him dancing to "YMCA". The B-52s song is a bouncy feel-good number although admittedly the lyrics don't make much sense. The song is a nod of the hat to the soothing 1963 Brazilian bossa nova hit "Girl From Ipanema" written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and performed by Astrud Gilberto, backed by saxophonist Stan Getz. The B-52s song released 21 years later is very different and definitely not bossa nova. It's a song to lift your spirits and can be heard on YouTube. So why on earth would the girl from sunny Ipanema suddenly decide to go to freezing Greenland? As far as I can make out from the lyrics the girl is fed up with Ipanema beach and opts to head off to somewhere completely different… and Greenland is certainly different. Her bikini wouldn't be much use though. On the beach Back to that relaxing 1963 song. It was Astrud Gilberto's first professional performance which was part of its charm. Her plaintive voice managed to sound innocent yet seductive. Like most teenage lads at the time I loved it. The song conjured up an irresistible image: "Tall and tan and young and lovely/The girl from Ipanema goes walking/And when she passes, each one she passes/Goes ah ..." I certainly went "ah" listening to it all those years ago and it still sounds pretty cool 60 years later. Coffee break The very mention of Brazil brings to mind the old Frank Sinatra song that begins: "Way down among Brazilians/Coffee beans grow by the billions …" It was called rather unimaginatively "The Coffee Song" and a big hit when I was a kid back in the Stone Age. In fact, that song just about summed up my knowledge of Brazil in those days. It includes the splendid lines: "You date a girl, and find out later/She smells just like a percolator …" All very romantic. It was hardly a surprise that as a kid I pictured Brazil as a country full of cheerful people who spent every day dancing the samba at never-ending carnivals and guzzling gallons of coffee.
Observer
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Observer
We have no idea where this war will go
After days of publicly mulling whether to join Israel in its military campaign against Iran, President Trump directed the US military on Saturday to execute a complex attack on three of the nation's nuclear sites with several American warplanes and submarines. Hours later, Trump declared the mission a 'spectacular military success," saying during a national address from the White House that US forces had 'completely and totally obliterated," Iran's nuclear programme. 'There's no military in the world that could have done what we did tonight, not even close,' he said, standing in front of Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. It may appear like a tactical victory less than four hours after the bombs began to fall, but projecting any sense of finality about this ordeal is wildly premature. The nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan may be lying in rubble. But whether Tehran will be unable to rehabilitate its nuclear programme remains an open question. And what will Iran do in return? If the more than 40,000 American troops and personnel in the Middle East are attacked, will the Trump administration try to topple the political establishment in Tehran? Any one of these questions could have complicated answers with disastrous consequences for the US and its allies throughout the Middle East. Trump doesn't see it that way. 'There will be either peace, or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days,' he said, referring to Israeli air strikes. 'Remember, there are many targets left.' Trump's decision holds the potential to transform not only his presidency but US standing overseas as well. He was elected to the White House on a platform of turning away from foreign conflicts with nebulous goals. A little more than seven months later, he's brought the US military directly into conflict with Iran in an act of war that was meticulously planned and detailed but entirely unauthorised by Congress. The president chose to launch these attacks against Iran by choice, not necessity. Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's director of national intelligence, testified in March that Iran had a stock of enriched material but had not decided to make a nuclear weapon. (She has since said her comments were taken out of context and estimated Iran was 'weeks to months' away from producing nuclear weapons.) In his speech, delivered after he told Americans via social media that he had entered the war, Trump applauded the bombing operation, which took place using B-2 Stealth bombers along with missiles launched from submarines. 'I want to congratulate the great American patriots who flew those magnificent machines tonight and all of the United States military on an operation the likes of which the world is not seen in many, many decades,' he said. It's true that the US Air Force had never used Stealth bombers in such a highly orchestrated, overwhelming strike operation. At about $2.1 billion apiece, the B-2 is the world's most expensive aircraft because of its onboard technology. It was engineered to slip behind Soviet air defences and obliterate hardened targets and has seen limited use during the wars in the Middle East. The world's eyes now shift to the American troops inside Iran's range of fire via missiles, drones or other kind of attack. A response may not come for days. When Trump issued the drone strike in January 2020 that killed Qassim Suleimani, it was five days before Iran launched salvos of missile strikes on US forces stationed at bases in neighbouring Iraq. Trump said he hopes that 'we will no longer need' the American military's services. This is wishful thinking. It's almost certain we haven't seen the end of US military action in this war. It might very well have just begun. — The New York Times WJ Hennigan writes about national security issues for Opinion from Washington
