U.S. B-2 stealth bombers have dropped dozens of bunker-buster bombs on deeply buried Iranian ballistic missile launch platforms and missile production facilities, the top U.S. commander for the Middle East said Thursday.
General Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, said the strikes targeted launchers positioned at significant underground depths, using heavy munitions designed to penetrate hardened defenses.
Speaking alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth during a briefing, Cooper added that the attacks also struck facilities involved in Iran’s missile manufacturing.
The United States previously deployed the same B-2 bombers during a rapid strike operation in June, when three Iranian nuclear sites were bombed during the 12-day war between Israel and Iran.
The U.S. is the only country that operates the B-2 stealth bomber capable of carrying massive bunker-busting bombs designed to destroy deeply buried targets.
Hegseth and Cooper also said Washington has sufficient munitions to continue its bombing campaign indefinitely.
“Iran hopes we cannot sustain this effort. That is a grave miscalculation,” Hegseth told reporters at U.S. Central Command headquarters in Florida. “Our munitions are fully stocked and our resolve is firm.”
Earlier this week, the Pentagon said the military campaign is focused on destroying Iran’s offensive missile systems, missile production capacity and naval assets, while preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Cooper said the U.S. has struck at least 30 Iranian naval vessels so far, including a large drone carrier roughly comparable in size to a World War II-era aircraft carrier.
He added that Iranian ballistic missile attacks have dropped by about 90% since the first day of the war, while drone attacks have declined by 83% over the same period.
