JUNE 27, 2025 — In a major display of strategic airpower, the Missouri National Guard’s 131st Bomb Wing played a pivotal role in the U.S. military operation targeting three nuclear weapons development sites in Iran – Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. Operating alongside Air Force Global Strike Command, Guard Airmen demonstrated the lethal capability and readiness of the Air National Guard in support of national defense priorities.
“I want to thank the heroism of our men and women in the military, what they accomplished is truly historic, setting back the Iranian nuclear program an untold number of years,” said Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, during a press briefing at the Pentagon today. “It was a devastating attack.”
The operation, code named “Midnight Hammer,” took place under the direction of U.S. Central Command, with the aim of dismantling critical infrastructure supporting Iran’s progressing nuclear weapons program. The mission marked one of the most significant combat operations undertaken by the Air National Guard in recent history, reaffirming its integral role in executing high-end, strategic missions.
“This was the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history, and the second longest B-2 mission ever flown,” said Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, at a press conference held at the Pentagon over the weekend. “Exceeded only by those in the days following 9/11.”
More than 125 U.S. aircraft participated in the mission, including B-2 Spirit stealth bombers assigned to Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Crews with the 131st Bomb Wing worked alongside regular Air Force counterparts to deliver 14 massive ordnance penetrator (MOP) bombs, massive 30,000-pound explosive devices that only the B-2 can carry, on the Iranian development sites. The operation reflects years of integrated training—validating the Air National Guard as a comprehensive, combat-ready force.
“The Air National Guard, including the exceptional Airmen of Missouri’s 131st Bomb Wing, continues to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our regular Air Force counterparts in delivering decisive combat power when called upon,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, acting director, Air National Guard. “Our role in the recent strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities underscores not only our readiness and precision, but also the enduring, integrated lethality that defines the Total Force.”
From deterrence missions in Europe and the Indo-Pacific to combat sorties over the Middle East, Guard units and their regular Air Force partners have routinely executed global strike missions as a total force for decades. This integration is not new—it’s a cornerstone of how the Air Force projects power, maintains readiness, and sustains lethality around the globe.
We are incredibly proud of our Airmen,” said Maj. Gen. Charles Hausman, Missouri National Guard Adjutant General. “Their discipline and exceptional proficiency are paramount in accomplishing the mission. The collaboration between our Missouri Air National Guard Airmen and their active-duty partners was essential to achieving this outcome.”
Story by Tech. Sgt. Richard Mekkri
Air National Guard