The Middle East nearly plunged into nuclear disaster this weekend — until seven B-2 Spirit bombers turned the tide.
President Donald Trump’s precision strike, dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer, hit Iran hard and fast. “We retained the element of surprise,” said General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. That might be the understatement of the year.
Iran’s top-secret nuclear facilities are now buried under tons of rubble. Thanks to Massive Ordnance Penetrators with smart fuses, America just pulled off its first direct strike to stop a nuclear program before it fully emerged.
Iran was never going to play by the rules of deterrence. They’ve spent four decades launching terror and targeting U.S. troops. If Iran had gone nuclear, Israel would’ve had to consider using its own arsenal. This mission didn’t come early — it came just in time.
And Trump made sure the message was clear: more targets remain. While the B-2s return to Whiteman AFB for debriefing and maintenance, they stand ready to strike again.
But there's a problem. Only 21 B-2s were ever built. Nineteen still fly. That’s not enough if we need to take on a bigger threat — like China.
Saturday’s strike followed a pounding from Israeli forces in October and the past 10 days. But Operation Midnight Hammer alone required 125 aircraft. That included F-22s, F-35s, Navy F/A-18 strike fighters, electronic warfare jets, and a fleet of tankers to fuel the whole operation.
Now is the time to accelerate B-21 Raider production. That stealth bomber has flown. It's in early production. Why not add a second plant and ramp up?
The Navy is also sitting on a finished 6th Gen stealth jet for carriers. But infighting over budgets is holding it back. Congress has been told repeatedly — the Navy is ready to buy. And yes, our carriers can survive Chinese missile strikes. Finding and hitting them in open water is not as easy as the headlines claim.
Finally, keep our defenses sharp. Restock Navy missile interceptors. Fund every upgrade the Space Force needs to protect satellites from Russian or Chinese interference. Deterrence only works if it’s real — and after Midnight Hammer, America just reminded the world how real it can get.