In an attempt to show the world that the recent strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear sites were a success, the White House on Thursday shared dramatic test footage of the massive bunker-buster bombs used in the operation. The video was meant to support President Donald Trump’s claim that the Iranian nuclear sites were “obliterated.”
The clip was posted alongside a quote from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who accused the press of trying to downplay the mission. “Because of the hatred of this press… your people are trying to leak & spin that it wasn’t successful. It’s irresponsible,” Hegseth said.
General Dan “Razin” Caine, who oversaw the mission, added emotionally, “I have chills… talking about this.”
Pentagon releases test footage showing how bunker-busters work.@SecDef Hegseth: “Because of the hatred of this press… your people are trying to leak & spin that it wasn’t successful. It’s irresponsible.” Gen. “Razin” Caine, on the mission: “I have chills..talking about this.” pic.twitter.com/nS1q6ml7Ae
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 26, 2025
What the Strike Targeted and Why It Matters
The main focus of the airstrike was the Fordow nuclear facility, which is located deep underground and heavily fortified. It’s one of Iran’s most important sites for uranium enrichment. The US also targeted other major nuclear sites at Natanz and Isfahan.
The Pentagon believes these strikes dealt a serious blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Israel echoed that claim, saying the operation had set back Iran’s nuclear program “by many years.”
However, intelligence sources are still unsure how effective the strikes really were. The Defense Intelligence Agency said the sites suffered “significant” damage but likely not total destruction. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed there was “extensive damage” but noted assessments are ongoing.
Speculation About Iran Moving Uranium Before the Attack
One of the big questions surrounding the strikes is whether Iran had moved its stockpile of enriched uranium before the bombs hit. Satellite images taken three days before the attack showed bulldozers and trucks at the Fordow site, which led some to think Iran may have been trying to protect valuable equipment or materials.
But Hegseth pushed back, saying, “I’m not aware of any intelligence that I’ve reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be — moved or otherwise,” as reported by Reuters.
How the Strike Was Planned and Executed
General Caine explained how the strike was more than a decade in the making. “We had so many PhDs working on the mock program — doing modelling and simulation — that we were quietly and secretly the biggest users of supercomputer hours within the United States of America,” he told the Associated Press.
The Pentagon’s experts studied everything from the site’s underground layout to the strength of the concrete used in its construction. The bunker-buster bombs were specially designed to delay detonation until they could blast deep into the facility’s enrichment chambers, sending shockwaves through connected tunnels to destroy sensitive equipment.
12 Bombs Hit Fordow — Here’s What Happened
Seven B-2 stealth bombers were used in the mission. Each bomber carried two bombs, and in total, 12 were dropped on the Fordow facility. Six of them were “bunker busters,” specifically aimed at the site’s two main ventilation systems, which are shaped like pitchforks with three shafts each.
Iran had placed large concrete blocks over the ventilation shafts just days before the attack. The first wave of bombs cleared these blocks. Then four bombs were dropped down the central shafts at speeds over 1,000 feet per second. These exploded inside the facility. A sixth bomb acted as backup.
Two more bombs targeted Iran’s other major nuclear facility, Natanz.
“All crews confirmed detonation as they watched the bombs drop from the aircraft in front of them,” Caine said. Pilots also reported seeing bright flashes from the blasts. “It looked like daylight,” one pilot said.
Trump Administration Says Mission Was Flawless
Both Hegseth and Caine stressed that everything in the mission had gone exactly as planned—from loading the weapons to final impact.
Caine called it a textbook execution, and Hegseth declared, “Iran’s nuclear facilities have been destroyed.”
Still, outside experts and watchdog agencies remain cautious. The IAEA said a more detailed inspection is needed before reaching final conclusions about the actual damage. Intelligence agencies are also still analyzing satellite images and ground-level data.
For now, both the US government and Iran are pushing their own versions of the story—one side claiming a major win, the other suggesting the attack didn’t do much. But as more evidence comes in, the world will get a clearer picture of whether the operation really did what the US says it did.
