‘Fordow Raiders’ and B-2 Bombers: Netanyahu’s Pentagon Welcome Sends Iran a Message

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a ceremonial welcome Yesterday at the Pentagon from US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, joined by senior military officials, in a powerful display of US-Israel unity amid escalating Middle East tensions. Greeted with a full honor cordon, a distinction for high-ranking foreign leaders, Netanyahu’s visit celebrated the success of joint military operations against Iran’s nuclear program, including Israel’s Operation Rising Lion on June 13 and the US-led Operation Midnight Hammer on June 21. Hegseth praised the Israeli Defense Forces, stating, “Thanks to the skill of your professionals, what was accomplished was absolutely incredible,” highlighting the precision strikes on Iran’s Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan nuclear sites, which killed six nuclear scientists and top IRGC commanders.

Hegseth emphasized the honor of US involvement, saying, “The precision with which you went at the nuclear capabilities, and the opportunity we had … to help put the ‘finishing touches’, you might say, on those facilities, it was an honor to be a part of it.” The ceremony included a symbolic gesture: Hegseth presented Netanyahu with a “Fordow Raiders” plaque featuring a B-2 stealth bomber, commemorating the classified Operation Midnight Hammer, which involved seven B-2 bombers dropping 14 GBU-57 penetrating bombs. The strikes, which Hegseth called “historically successful,” aimed to cripple Iran’s nuclear ambitions, though some reports suggest Iran may have moved enriched uranium beforehand.

Accompanied by their wives, Sara Netanyahu and Jennifer Hegseth, the leaders underscored personal and strategic bonds. Discussions focused on countering Iranian-backed threats, securing Gaza hostage releases, and advancing Israel’s normalization with Arab states like Saudi Arabia. Social media posts on X captured the sentiment, with one user noting, “Netanyahu and Hegseth’s unity sends a clear message to Iran.” The visit, part of Netanyahu’s broader Washington trip, followed his April 2025 meeting with President Trump, where he nominated Trump for a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the ceasefire. Amid Iran’s retaliatory strikes on a US base in Qatar and ongoing Gaza talks, the Pentagon event reaffirmed a robust US-Israel defense partnership.