On June 22, seven USAF B-2 from Whitemann Air Force Base, Missouri, bombed the nuclear facilities of Fordo and Natanz. They expended GBU-57 deep penetration bombs on each nuclear plant. At the same time 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from the USS Georgia targeting the nuclear plant of Isfahan.
With these strikes the U.S. wiped out Iran’s nuclear ambition ending decades of development worth an estimated $500 billion. Top cover was provided by F-22 Raptor fighters 12 of which staged through RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk, UK, 19/20 June. According to unconfirmed sources the F-22s are operating from Muwaffaq Salti AB, in Jordan.
Before the strikes Iran government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani told CNN that negotiations are ‘meaningless’ unless Israel stops their attacks. President Trump today said that strikes will continue untill Iran comes to the negotiation table. According to Aljazeera Trump also warns against any retaliation, saying: “Remember, there are many targets left.” I guess ayatollah Ali Khamenei better should find another hiding…President Trump stated on June 18, 2025, via Truth Social, that the U.S. knows “exactly where” Khamenei is hiding but is not targeting him “for now,” suggesting intelligence on his location exists but is not publicly disclosed. It is speculated that Khamenei is hiding in an underground bunker in Lavizan, Northeast of Tehran: Multiple sources, including Iran International and NDTV, reported that Khamenei was moved to the Lavizan bunker shortly after the Israeli air offensive Rising Lion started on June 13th.
On X it is speculated that Khamenei fled to Mashhad, northeast of Iran in the Hezar Masjed-mountains near Turkmenistan. The Israeli Air Force has demonstrated that even targets as far as Mashhad are within reach of their F-15 fighter aircraft. Mashhad Airport, approximately 2,300 kilometers (equal to Amsterdam – Odessa and back) from Israel was attacked on 14/6 in what was marked as the longest-range strike conducted since the beginning of Operation Rising Lion.