Why It Matters
The United States military conducted one of its most complex and consequential operations in recent memory during the ongoing conflict with Iran, striking an underground Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters near Tehran while simultaneously executing a rescue mission for downed American airmen. The strike represents a significant escalation in direct military action against senior IRGC leadership and demonstrates America’s ability to project overwhelming force deep inside Iranian territory.
The operation underscores the Trump administration’s willingness to pursue high-value military targets while protecting American service members — a sharp departure from the more restrained postures of prior administrations.
What Happened
According to high-level sources who spoke with Fox News, U.S. Central Command commander Admiral Brad Cooper directed a precision strike against an underground IRGC headquarters facility near Tehran during ongoing rescue operations following the downing of a U.S. F-15E fighter jet over Iran.
The strike was carried out using B-2 Spirit stealth bombers armed with Massive Ordnance Penetrators — the same specialized bunker-buster bombs deployed during Operation Midnight Hammer. Fox News sources said the underground headquarters was “obliterated.”
The B-2 bombers flew a round-trip mission originating from Whiteman Air Force Base in the United States. According to sources, the strike was ordered after CENTCOM received time-sensitive intelligence indicating a large number of senior IRGC commanders were gathered inside the underground bunker. Cooper authorized the mission between the two separate rescue operations of the F-15E crew.
Separately, U.S. B-1 bombers — referred to by military personnel as “BONES” — dropped approximately one hundred 2,000-pound bombs during the rescue operations to suppress Iranian forces and prevent them from reaching the rescue area, according to a senior U.S. defense official.
A senior military source told Fox News bluntly: “We delivered the heat” on the IRGC.
By the Numbers
- ~100 — 2,000-pound bombs dropped by B-1 bombers to suppress Iranian forces during the rescue
- 2 — U.S. service members rescued after their F-15E was shot down over Iran
- 7 hours — Duration U.S. aircraft reportedly spent over Iranian airspace during the first rescue
- 1 — Underground IRGC headquarters facility destroyed near Tehran
- 2 — Separate rescue operations conducted, with the IRGC strike occurring between them
Zoom Out
The strike against the IRGC underground bunker is among the most operationally significant actions taken against Iranian military leadership in decades. The use of Massive Ordnance Penetrators — designed specifically to destroy hardened, deeply buried facilities — signals that the U.S. military is targeting command-and-control infrastructure, not merely surface-level assets.
The operation occurred against the backdrop of ongoing U.S.-Iran tensions, with diplomatic back-channels still reportedly active. President Trump has characterized Iran’s most recent negotiation proposal as “significant” but “not good enough,” indicating that military pressure is being applied in tandem with diplomatic engagement.
The successful recovery of the F-15E crew also drew widespread attention. U.S. Special Operations forces executed the complex rescue of both F-15E crewmen after the aircraft was downed over Iran, in what military analysts are describing as a landmark mission demonstrating the reach and capability of American special operations units deep inside hostile territory.
President Trump addressed the missions directly on Truth Social, writing: “We have rescued the seriously wounded, and really brave, F-15 Crew Member/Officer, from deep inside the mountains of Iran. The Iranian Military was looking hard, in big numbers, and getting close. He is a highly respected Colonel. This type of raid is seldom attempted because of the danger to ‘man and equipment.’ It just doesn’t happen!”
Trump also confirmed a second rescue operation, noting it “came after the first one, where we rescued the pilot in broad daylight, also unusual, spending seven hours over Iran.”
What’s Next
Military and intelligence officials are expected to assess battle damage from the IRGC headquarters strike to determine the impact on Iranian command-and-control capabilities. The fate of any IRGC commanders present in the underground facility at the time of the strike has not been officially confirmed.
Diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran remain ongoing, though the scope of military operations suggests Washington is maintaining maximum pressure on Tehran. Further details about the rescued F-15E crew’s condition and the broader scope of U.S. operations inside Iran are expected to emerge in the coming days.