This was the single most dangerous moment for B-2 pilots during their Iran bombing raid

The B-2 Spirit bombers that obliterated Iranian nuclear facilities in Operation Midnight Hammer were exposed to grave danger in the most pivotal moment during the 25-minute operation in airspace over the Islamic Republic.The seven stealth bombers carried 14 30,000-pound GBU-57 “bunker buster” bombs for more than 18 hours after they were deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri just after midnight and crossed the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea to reach Iran.But as pilots moved to drop their explosive payloads on three Iranian nuclear sites at 6:40 p.m.Saturday, the planes were at risk of losing their stealth capabilities and exposing themselves to enemy fire, The New York Times reported.When the two-person crews released their weapons bay doors to drop the bombs, the shape of the stealth craft changed and made them more likely to pop up on Iranian radar — exposing the daring pilots to potentially deadly counterfire.Experienced B-2 pilots told the outlet that the tense moment was punctuated by the aircraft quickly rising up into the air as it dropped the explosives, which weigh 15 tons apiece.The ace pilots operating the B-2s on Saturday were able to navigate the risk and successfully hit their targets — the deeply embedded nuclear enrichment site Fordow, as well as facilities in Natanz, and Isfahan, which had previously been targeted by Israel.US submarines further buttressed the attack with more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles that struck Isfahan.The seven Spirits were then out of Iranian airspace by 7:30 p.m.

on Saturday and on their way back to Missouri to complete the 37-hour non-stop flight.Pilots likely ran simulations of the difficult route in the days and weeks leading up to the actual bombing, the Times reported.Those pilots did have some amenities on the Midnight flight — including a microwave, a refrigerator, and a bathroom.The two-person crews also took turns lying down and resting — but both were required t...