Direct proof of use
The B-2 Spirit was used by U.S. forces in the 2025 Israel-Iran Conflict during Operation Midnight Hammer. Defense Department reporting and the official press transcript state that seven B-2 Spirit stealth bombers formed the main strike package and dropped 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs against Iranian nuclear target areas at Fordow and Natanz.
The Congressional Research Service places the U.S. strike inside the June 2025 Israel-Iran fighting: Israel began operations against Iran on June 13, Iran retaliated with ballistic missiles, and the United States struck three Iranian nuclear sites on June 22 using B-2 Spirit bombers and GBU-57 weapons.
Sources: DOD Strike Briefing, DOD Strike Story, CRS Israel-Iran Conflict
Timeline
On June 13, 2025, Israel opened a major military operation against Iran, followed by Iranian ballistic-missile retaliation. CRS identifies those exchanges as the opening sequence of the conflict.
On June 22, 2025, the U.S. strike package executed Operation Midnight Hammer. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the main strike package comprised seven B-2 Spirit bombers flying east from the continental United States with multiple aerial refuelings, while a separate decoy package flew west over the Pacific.
Between about 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. Eastern time on June 21, which corresponded to early June 22 in Iran, B-2s released 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs against two nuclear target areas. U.S. officials also said a submarine launched Tomahawk missiles against infrastructure at Esfahan, making the B-2 strike one part of a larger joint operation.
Sources: CRS Israel-Iran Conflict, DOD Strike Briefing
Narrative
The B-2's documented role in this conflict was long-range precision attack against hardened nuclear infrastructure. U.S. statements describe the mission as a deliberate strike on three Iranian nuclear facilities, with the B-2 portion focused on delivering the GBU-57 against Fordow and Natanz while other U.S. assets supported suppression, escort, refueling, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and cruise-missile attack.
Air Force and Air National Guard accounts tied the mission to Whiteman Air Force Base and the 509th and 131st Bomb Wings. Those accounts state that the June 2025 operation was the largest B-2 operational strike in U.S. history and that the GBU-57 was used operationally for the first time.
Public official sources do not describe the B-2 as transferred, loaned, or possessed by any party other than the United States. In this record, the supported claim is operational use by U.S. forces during the conflict, not Israeli possession or independent Israeli operation of the aircraft.
Sources: DOD Strike Briefing, Air Force Whiteman Visit, Air National Guard Iran Strike
