U.S. Air Force used GBU-72/B bunker-buster bombs against hardened Iranian missile sites

The U.S. Air Force used GBU-72/B Advanced 5K Penetrator bombs against hardened underground sites holding Iranian anti-ship missiles near the Strait of Hormuz during Operation Epic Fury, according to senior U.S. military officials. Developed by Boeing to replace the GBU-28, the roughly 2,300-kilogram guided bomb uses a BLU-138/B penetrating warhead and modified JDAM tail kit combining inertial and GPS navigation; its precise penetration performance remains classified. U.S. Central Command first described the strikes in March 2026, while the number of weapons expended and launch aircraft were not disclosed. The GBU-72/B had previously been employed against underground Houthi facilities in Yemen in 2024.