DECOY... THEN BLITZ

'Misdirection' before 14 giant bombs slam nuke sites | Trump in cap watches attack unfold from White House

- DAN WARBURTON

SEVEN stealth bombers secretly take off from the US at 5am British time on Saturday, ready to unleash a devastating attack.

The B-2 Spirit craft head east from the Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Meanwhile, decoy B-2 bombers also set off from the base and fly west to draw attention away from the strike force.

By 2pm, news reports reveal that this fleet of planes is heading for a US territory - the island of Guam in the Pacific - which is more than 5000 miles from Iran.

While the world takes in this information, the secret strike force going in the opposite direction flies non-stop, refuelling several times in the air to avoid detection.

The bombers meet up with US fighter jets and support aircraft once over land in the Middle East in a complex manoeuvre.

About 10pm our time, just before the aircraft enter Iranian airspace, a US submarine launches 30 long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles at targets at the sites in Isfahan and Natanz.

As the bombers approach their targets, there are more deception tactics, including decoys. Fighter jets clear the airspace ahead, checking for enemy aircraft and surface-to-air missiles. Then about 11.40pm British time (2.10am in Iran) - after at least 18 hours in the air - the lead B-2 drops two bunker-buster bombs on the site at Fordow.