US forces deploy 5,000lb ‘bunker buster’ munitions in precision strike against hardened sites

WEB DESK: American military forces have confirmed the deployment of 5,000-pound “bunker buster” bombs during a high-intensity operation targeting strategic missile facilities along the Iranian coastline.

According to a statement released by US Central Command (CENTCOM), the precision strikes were directed at heavily reinforced underground bunkers situated near the Strait of Hormuz.

The operation, part of the wider Operation Epic Fury, marks a significant escalation in the use of heavyweight conventional ordnance to neutralise what Washington describes as “imminent threats” to international shipping lanes.

The munitions employed in the raid are believed to be the GBU-72/B Advanced 5K Penetrator, a sophisticated GPS-guided weapon designed to burrow through layers of reinforced concrete before detonating, according to Gulf News.

While the Pentagon maintains the strikes were a surgical necessity to protect global energy supplies, the move has drawn a sharp rebuke from Tehran.

Senior Iranian leader Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned on Wednesday that the security situation in the strategic waterway “will not return to its pre-conflict state,” signalling a defiant stance against the continued aerial campaign.

Escalation amidst regional chokepoints

The strategic focus on the Strait of Hormuz comes as the waterway remains under a “chokehold,” with maritime traffic severely disrupted and global energy prices surging. Iranian officials have characterised the strikes as an act of external aggression, part of a conflict they maintain was initiated by the US and Israel in late February.

Iranian state media has highlighted the resilience of their “Axis of Resistance,” while reporting that previous strikes in the campaign have resulted in significant internal damage and civilian displacement.

Defence experts note that the use of the GBU-72/B represents a pivotal shift in aerial capabilities, allowing tactical fighter aircraft to achieve results previously reserved for heavy strategic bombers like the B-2 Spirit.

However, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has also voiced concerns following reports of a projectile striking near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.

While the IAEA confirmed no damage to the facility, the incident has added to the growing international calls for restraint in a conflict that continues to reshape the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.