Inside 20-hour non-stop secret mission to bomb Iran’s nuclear site using $2.1 billion stealth plane

The US' mission to bomb Iran overnight involved using multi-billion dollar stealth bombers and around 20 hours of flight time.

President Donald Trump took to social media to confirm the US' attack on Iran on Saturday night (21 June), with three of the nation's nuclear bases left completely decimated after over 40 missiles were fired.

The move came amid growing tension between Iran and Israel, with the two Middle Eastern nations exchanging missiles in the past week in what the former called a 'declaration of war'.

The recent conflict erupted after Israel launched a series of strikes on Iranian nuclear research facilities, killing some of Iran's high-profile military leaders.

Last night, the US launched strikes on Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan in Iran, days after Trump threatened Iran by saying the 'might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before' if the nation was to strike the US in any way.

Six B-2 stealth bombers released 12 bombs on Fordow overnight, while submarines were used to fire 30 Tomahawk missiles at the remaining two targets.

Trump called the operation a 'spectacular military success' (Carlos Barria - Pool/Getty Images)

The West has long been suspicious of Iran's intentions to build weapons of mass destruction, as Sir Keir Starmer called the nation's programme a 'grave threat to international security'.

Despite the growing tension though, the world was left shocked by the US' decision.

What is a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber?

A group of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers took off from Missouri in the early hours of Saturday (21 June), bound for Iran.

They helped to carry out a series of strikes on Iran, said a senior defense official (via USA Today), as Trump later confirmed that a 'full payload of BOMBS' were dropped on Fordow with the use of B-2s.

Eye-watering cost

The B-2s are valued at around $2 - $2.1 billion per unit, boasting the most advanced stealth technology and having the ability to fly long range.

This makes it the most expensive military aircraft ever built.

The B-2 Spirit Bombers are worth billions (Zhengyang Li/Getty stock photo)

Weaponry

These steal bombers carry the heaviest US bombs and nuclear weapons, with its design limiting its ability to be detected by enemy radar.

This is done through the composite materials and coating used as well as its flying wing design.

B-2s are also nuclear-capable, while being the only aircraft equipped to carry the GBU-57 - better known as the 'bunker buster' bomb.

Six of these 'buster bombs' were reportedly used to attack Iran's Fordow site last night.

Wingspan and flight range

Usually manned by two pilots, the aircraft have a wingspan of 172 feet and a length of 69 feet, with the planes able to hold two bunker busters each.

They can continuously fly for up to 44 hours, having a range of over 18,000km.

The stealth bombers were used to attack Iran (Jesus Olarte/Anadolu via Getty Images)

How have B-2 stealth bombers been used in the past?

It was reported in April that six bombers had been deployed to the British military base of Diego Garcia, located in the Indian Ocean.

In Operation Allied Force, a NATO-led military intervention which took place in 1999 against Yugoslavia, the B-2 destroyed a third of all Serbian targets within the first eight weeks.

Operation Enduring Freedom, which was during the US' war with Afghanistan, saw the stealth bomber fly to the Central Asian country and back.

The bombers' first ever combat deployment was during the war with Iraq, beginning in 2003.

The US Air Force reported that more than 1.5 million pounds of munitions were released through the bombers.