US B-2, B-1, and B-52 bombers pound Iran targeting buried missile sites and defences
March 6, 2026
US B-2, B-1, and B-52 bombers are raining hundreds of bombs down across Iran, targeting deeply buried production sites and various other high-value targets. As Iran’s air defence is picked apart, bombers are enjoying increasing freedom to operate across the country at will.
US strategic bombers targeting hundreds of Iran sites
Yesterday, CENTCOM’s Admiral Brad Cooper stated in a press conference, “In just the last hour, U.S. B-2 bombers dropped dozens of 2,000lb Penetrator bombs targeting deeply buried ballistic missile launchers.”
Day 6 updates from Adm. Cooper:
— Ian Ellis (@ianellisjones) March 6, 2026
– USAF bomber force struck 200+ targets in past 72 hours; B-2s dropped dozens of 2,000-lb JDAMs
– Iranian BM attacks down 90%, drone attacks -83%
– 30+ ships sunk; drone carrier hit and on fire
– Iran’s space command targeted
“Full steam ahead.” pic.twitter.com/qEM8qm6OiY
Today, Cooper added that the US Air Force bomber force has struck nearly 200 targets in the past 72 hours. The US is employing all three types of its strategic bombers: the B-2 Spirit, the B-1B Lancer, and the B-52 Spirit.
He said the B-2s alone have dropped dozens of 2,000lbs JDAMs in just the last hour. Targets for the JDAMs include underground ballistic missile production sites.
B-2 Up over Tehran, numerous blasts, like, numerous numerous.
— Shin (@hey_itsmyturn) March 6, 2026
Iranian journalist Mohamad Ahwaze posted, “Devastating and stormy bombardment on central Tehran.” While another Iranian journalist, Shin, posted last night, “B-2 Up over Tehran, numerous blasts, like, numerous numerous.”
The use of JDAMs is significant as these are much cheaper and easier to produce than missiles.
Cooper also said that while President Trump had said just a little while ago that 24 Iranian ships had been struck, that number is now 30+ Iranian ships.
U.S. forces aren't holding back on the mission to sink the entire Iranian Navy. Today, an Iranian drone carrier, roughly the size of a WWII aircraft carrier, was struck and is now on fire. pic.twitter.com/WyA4fniZck
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 6, 2026
These ships include Iran’s converted drone carrier and its new domestically produced frigate, the IRIS Dena, which was dramatically torpedoed off the coast of Sri Lanka. Separately, a second Iranian warship near Sri Lanka has agreed to be interned by Sri Lanka to prevent its destruction.
Iran’s missile and drone attacks are whithering
Of equal importance is that Admiral Cooper also said that Iranian ballistic missile attacks are down 90% and drone attacks are down 83%. The update reinforces that in a war of air dominance, most of the opposing country’s missiles and drones are destroyed on the ground and are never launched.
I'd say that unless the Gulf states procured less than half of their authorized interceptor inventories, they should not be close to depletion, particularly given that Iran now appears barely capable of sustaining meaningful ballistic missile launches. https://t.co/rnJk34xp0n pic.twitter.com/zvnPKHdkfz
— Fabian Hoffmann (@FRHoffmann1) March 5, 2026
In the context of Iran, the war in Ukraine is misleading, as neither Ukraine nor Russia is powerful enough to win air superiority and destroy each other’s long-range missiles and drones en masse before they are launched.
This means both Ukraine and Russia have to weather and counter each other long range attacks after they are launched. With air dominance over Iran, the calculation is entirely different. Iranian strikes on Israel are now minimal.
U.S. forces have struck or sunk to the bottom of the ocean more than 20 ships from the Iranian regime. Last night, CENTCOM added a Soleimani-class warship to the list. pic.twitter.com/KgW8cS726P
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 4, 2026
Cooper said the combined forces have relentlessly destroyed Iran’s air defences and are hunting down and searching for whatever may be left of them.
Get the latest aerospace defence news here on AGN.
Iran’s space command and aerospace industry struck
Also of interest is the US saying it has targeted Iran’s space command. Iran placed its first satellite into orbit using a domestic launcher in 2009. The most recent Iranian satellite launches took place in December 2025 using a Russian Soyuz rocket.
Separately, it has been reported by Michael Duitsman that the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) was struck by US or Israeli forces on the 2nd of March.
He adds, “HESA is one of Iran’s primary aerospace companies, engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs.”
The Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company (HESA) was struck by US or Israeli forces on March 2. HESA is one of Iran's primary aerospace companies, engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs.
— Michael Duitsman (@DuitsmanMS) March 6, 2026
Image from our friends @planet pic.twitter.com/9mrFWzdESP
The US says it not only intends to destroy the missiles, aircraft, and other systems Iran has now, but also wants to destroy its capacity to rebuild them after the bombs stop falling. As Iran’s missiles and air defence are wiped out, this will become a more central part of the air campaign.
Featured Image: USAF
