President Donald Trump said U.S. Air Force pilots who carried out this year’s strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities had been rehearsing the mission profile for more than two decades, describing it as one of the most complex operations ever undertaken by American forces.
In an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS’ 60 Minutes, Trump said he invited the pilots, mechanics, and support crews involved in the mission to the White House following the June operation.
According to the president, the aviators told him, “…We’ve been practicing this route…three times a year, every year, for 22 years. And you were the only president that let us do our job.”
Trump said the aircrews trained to penetrate heavily defended airspace, striking two underground facilities believed to be linked to Iran’s nuclear program. He said the operation involved B-2 Spirit stealth bombers carrying 100,000-pound precision weapons and that “every single missile hit every single air shaft.”
The president added that the strike package included layers of protection from F-22, F-35, and F-16 fighters, as well as a large aerial refueling effort, which he said required 52 tanker aircraft.
The bombers, he claimed, flew for 37 hours round trip with continuous midair refueling. Trump said he later awarded medals to the flight and ground crews who participated.
More B-2s
Trump credited coordination with Israeli partners for what he called a “perfectly executed” mission. He also said the Air Force has ordered 20 new B-2 aircraft to modernize the long-range strike fleet, describing them as “the newest and the greatest.”
International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have yet to confirm the extent of the reported damage to Iranian nuclear sites.
