11 hours ago
Last Updated:July 04, 2025, 15:50 IST
A US B-2 stealth bomber involved in targeting Iran's nuclear facilities has not returned to base, raising concerns.
The US originally built just 20 of GBU-57 'bunker busters'. (Source: X)
The high-stakes US bombing operation targeting Iran’s underground nuclear facilities took a mysterious turn as one of the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers involved in the mission has not returned to base, it was reported. Its whereabouts remain unknown, raising concerns and fueling speculation online.
According to a EurAsian Times report, two distinct groups of B-2 bombers were launched from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri on June 21. One formation flew eastward and directly targeted Iran’s fortified nuclear sites at Fordow and Natanz. A second formation flew westward over the Pacific Ocean, reportedly as a decoy mission designed to confuse Iranian air defenses.
While the strike team of seven B-2s completed a non-stop 37-hour round trip and returned safely, details about the decoy group remain scarce. What has emerged is that at least one of the stealth bombers from that group was forced to make an emergency landing in Hawaii, it was reported.
Read more: One B-2 Bomber Costs Rs 17,142 Crore. It’s Enough To Buy 18 F-35s, 29 Tejas Mk1As Or 20 Rafales
The aircraft reportedly landed at Daniel K. Inouye Airport in Honolulu, which shares runways with Hickam Air Force Base. A video of the landing surfaced online earlier this week, showing the stealth bomber on the tarmac. However, the exact cause of the diversion and the condition of the aircraft have not been disclosed.
B2 Stealth bomber sitting alone and guarded in Honolulu . Just captured this on the taxi out. No reports online of a B2 here. This is the closest I’ve been to one. @grok says: There are no reports of a B-2 stealth bomber currently stationed or “sitting" at Daniel… pic.twitter.com/jlPl3MwiNd— David Martin (@Sir_DavidMartin) June 24, 2025
The US military has not commented on the status of the rest of the decoy group or whether additional aircraft are unaccounted for.
“This isn’t a routine glitch," a retired Air Force colonel familiar with B-2 operations, said, adding, “When a bomber doesn’t return from an active mission, it’s a very big deal, especially one carrying the kind of strategic weight the B-2 does."
Read more: US B2 Bomber’s 13,000-kg Iran Strike Faces Scrutiny As GBU-57 ‘Bunker Buster’ Runs Low
B-2 Spirit bombers are among the most advanced aircraft in the world, capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons while remaining virtually invisible to radar. With only 20 ever built, each aircraft is a critical asset in the US military’s long-range strike capability and nuclear deterrent strategy.
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world Vanished After Strike: What Happened To US B-2 Bomber That Hit Iran’s Nuke Sites?
