One Year Before the Strike: U.S. and Israel Quietly Practiced Iran Nuclear Attack
A year ago, the U.S. and Israel conducted a secret military exercise simulating strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, a drill that proved critical for recent U.S. airstrikes. The coordinated planning, involving stealth bombers and deception tactics, caught Iran off guard, escalating the ongoing regional conflict
An Israeli official has revealed to ABC News that approximately one year ago, the United States and Israel conducted a highly classified joint military exercise simulating offensive strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the heavily fortified sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. This unprecedented drill, planned under the Biden administration, marked the first time the two nations explicitly rehearsed coordinated attacks against Iran’s nuclear program. “We did not think a year ago that this would happen now,” the official remarked, highlighting the unexpected relevance of the exercise amid the escalating Israel-Iran war that began on June 13.
The covert drill involved advanced simulations of airstrikes, testing the capabilities of U.S. and Israeli air forces to penetrate Iran’s air defenses and target its deeply buried nuclear infrastructure. The exercise focused on coordinating complex operations, including the deployment of stealth aircraft like the U.S. B-2 Spirit bombers, which can carry bunker-busting GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators capable of destroying fortified sites like Fordow. Israeli forces, leveraging their F-35 stealth fighters, practiced precision strikes to complement U.S. efforts. The drill also included cyber warfare scenarios and satellite intelligence integration to ensure operational success against Iran’s sophisticated defenses.
The revelation comes in the wake of recent U.S. airstrikes on the same Iranian nuclear sites, executed with six B-2 bombers and 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from Navy submarines. President Donald Trump, addressing the nation, described the operation as a “spectacular military success,” claiming, “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.” The Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. employed deception tactics, with a senior official stating, “The goal was to create a situation that no one would expect,” a strategy likely informed by the prior joint exercise. The official added, “There was a real debate earlier this week about what should be done, but Trump signaled on Tuesday that he was inclined to go for it, and that changed everything.” The year-old drill, initially a precautionary measure under the Biden Administration, proved instrumental in preparing for the real-world strikes that have significantly disrupted Iran’s nuclear ambitions.