Operation Midnight Hammer is the kind of mission that Whiteman Air Force Base’s B-2 Spirit stealth bomber pilots have been trained to do. On Saturday, it was not a drill.
Several national media organizations reported B-2 stealth bombers from Missouri were headed to Guam on Saturday to prepare for President Donald Trump’s possible command to take out key Iran sites that are said to have nuclear weapons.
On Saturday evening while many Missourians might have been eating dinner, Trump announced that the U.S. completed a “very successful attack” on three nuclear weapons sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. He said a full payload of bombs was dropped on the primary site of Fordow.
“Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight,” Trump said on X.
The specialized aircraft’s engineering is difficult to detect by conventional radar – allowing it to safely swoop in and out of the Middle Eastern country after dropping bunker-buster bombs on an underground site. The nuclear weapons plant is reportedly located 300 feet underground and putting the plant out of commission would take multiple B-2 bunker buster bombs.
According to Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Operation Midnight Hammer was the first-ever operational use of the bunker buster bombs. During a news conference Sunday, he said the blasts occurred over a 25 minute period at the three targets.
Many Missouri leaders responded after Trump’s announcement, praising the 509th Bomb Wing’s involvement in the mission.
“Tonight, President Trump and our brave military demonstrated the importance of strength in pursuit of peace. We strongly support the President’s actions against Iranian nuclear facilities. Missourians are proud of the men and women from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri,” said Gov. Mike Kehoe.
“President Trump is rightfully ensuring the rogue regime in Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon. These targeted strikes can cut the head off the snake without American boots on the ground,” said west-central Missouri Congressman Mark Alford, a Republican whose district includes Whiteman Air Force Base.
“Iran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. Peace through strength,” northern Missouri Congressman Sam Graves said on X.
Congresswoman Ann Wagner, R-St. Louis County, backs Trump’s decision.
Iran was given every chance to get rid of its nuclear program, but instead of choosing peace the Ayatollah embraced violence and chaos.
President Trump was absolutely right to send our bombers in and strike the Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan nuclear facilities, and this decision…
— Ann Wagner (@RepAnnWagner) June 22, 2025
So does Trump ally, U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt.
President Trump is a foreign policy realist not an ideologue. He has taken limited military action to achieve a crucial objective that is in the core national interest of the United States: preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
He doesn’t want another Forever War. He…
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) June 22, 2025
“Last night’s precise and successful attack in Iran was carried out by B-2 Bombers based out of Missouri’s Whiteman Air Force Base. These heroes made our state and nation incredibly proud, and I’m so thankful they came back safely,” said southeast Missouri Congressman Jason Smith, R-Salem.
Missouri’s Democratic Congressional members have a different take.
President Trump's bombing of three sites in Iran was unconstitutional; only Congress can declare war. pic.twitter.com/O8wHC5Avpz
— Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (@repcleaver) June 22, 2025
I'm grateful that no American service members were harmed in this strike, and proud of the skill and bravery of the Missouri-based airmen and airwomen who carried out their mission. Our troops always deserve our respect, no matter who is president.
I never for a second doubted… pic.twitter.com/YQZ2c4VrNE
— Congressman Wesley Bell (@RepWesleyBellMO) June 22, 2025
Cain said well prior to the strike, protection measures were elevated across the region, especially in Iraq, Syria, and the Gulf.
“Our forces remain on high alert and are fully postured to respond to any Iranian retaliation or proxy attacks, which would be a poor choice. We will defend ourselves. The safety of our service members and civilians remains our highest priority,” he said.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he thinks the scope and scale of the strikes should “take the breath away of almost any American.”
“I think Tehran is certainly calculating the reality that planes flew from the middle of America, in Missouri, overnight completely undetected over three of their most highly-sensitive sites and we were able to destroy nuclear capabilities and our boys in those bombers are on their way home right now. We believe that’ll have a clear, psychological impact on how they view the future and we hope they take the path of negotiated peace,” Hegseth said during Sunday’s news conference.
According to Gov. Kehoe, the ongoing Iran conflict is causing a heightened threat environment in the United States — including both cyber attacks and retaliatory violence by extremists.
“We encourage all Missourians to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement authorities. The Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) has already notified every law enforcement agency in the state of this heightened sense of awareness as well as all state trained Terrorism Liaison Officers,” Kehoe said on X.
The governor said if you see something, say something and report suspicious activity and threats of violence, including online threats, to local law enforcement, FBI Field Offices, or the Missouri Fusion Center – MIAC.
Reports can be made to MIAC 24/7 by visiting p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?I, calling 866-362-6422, or downloading the Missouri SafeNation reporting app to anonymously report potentially suspicious activity and upload pictures and video.
Kehoe encourages Missourians to call 911 in case of emergency.
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