President Donald Trump isn’t staying quiet after facing criticism from within his own party. On Sunday, he hit back at Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, who argued that Trump should’ve sought congressional approval before launching airstrikes on Iran.
Trump Hails Airstrike as Major Victory
Defending the operation, which targeted three Iranian nuclear sites, Trump described it as a major win for U.S. security.
“We had a spectacular military success yesterday, taking the ‘bomb’ right out of their hands (and they would use it if they could!),” he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump Dismisses Massie from MAGA Circle
Massie’s concerns didn’t sit well with the former president, who made it clear that the Kentucky lawmaker isn’t someone he considers part of his political movement.
“Massie is not MAGA, even though he likes to say he is. Actually, MAGA doesn’t want him, doesn’t know him, and doesn’t respect him,” Trump added, signaling a clear rift within Republican ranks.
Details of Operation Midnight Hammer Revealed
Following the strikes, General Dan Caine, Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, revealed the scale and precision of the mission in a Sunday briefing at the Pentagon.
“At approximately 6:40 PM EST, 2:10 AM Iran time, the lead B-2 dropped GBU 57 MOP (Massive Ordnance Penetrator) weapons on the first of several aim points at Fordow,” Caine said.
“As the President stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets as well with a total of 14 MOPs dropped against two nuclear target areas. All three Iranian nuclear infrastructure targets were struck between 6:40 PM and 7:05 PM EST (2:10 AM local time Iran) with the Tomahawk missiles being the last to strike at Isfahan to ensure we retain the element of surprise throughout the operation,” he added.
Deception Tactics and Global Support Enabled the Strike
Caine outlined that the military used “several deception tactics,” including decoys, to maintain an element of surprise.
“As the Operation Midnight Hammer strike package entered Iranian airspace, the U.S. employed several deception tactics, including decoys, as the 4th and 5th generation aircraft pushed out in front of the strike package at high altitude and high speed, sweeping in front of the package for enemy fighters and surface air missile threats,” he said.
He further highlighted the extensive support: “The strike package was supported by the U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Space Command, U.S. Space Force, and U.S. European Command.”
As part of the diversion, a large group of B-2 bombers even flew west toward the Pacific as decoys. “Part of the plan to maintain tactical surprise, part of the package proceeded to the West and into the Pacific as a decoy, a deception effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders,” Caine explained.
Military Coordination Showcases US Power
Caine also emphasized the complexity and precision of the operation, which involved long-distance flights, multiple in-air refuelings, and near-silent coordination.
“Throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area, the aircraft completed multiple in-flight refuellings. Once over land, the B-2s linked up with escort and support aircraft in a complex, tightly timed manoeuvre requiring exact synchronisation across multiple platforms in a narrow piece of airspace, all done with minimal communications,” he said.
“This type of integration is exactly what our joint force does better than anyone else in the world.”
The operation, code-named Operation Midnight Hammer, was executed by U.S. Central Command under General Erik Kurilla’s leadership.
“Last night, on the President’s orders, U.S. Central Command, under the command of General Erik Kurilla, executed Operation Midnight Hammer, a deliberate and precise strike against three Iranian nuclear facilities,” Caine confirmed.
He added, “This operation was designed to severely degrade Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure. It was planned and executed across multiple domains and theatres with coordination that reflects our ability to project power globally with speed and precision at the time and place of our nation’s choosing.”
“This was a highly classified mission, and very few people in Washington knew the timing or nature of this plan,” he concluded.
(With Inputs From ANI)
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