- The US military has deployed 5,000-pound GBU-72
- The strikes targeted coastal defenses seen as a threat to global shipping routes.
- The US is now deploying 5,000-pound GBU-72s; these are lighter than the 30,000-pound 'bunker busters' used in the 2025 operati
The United States military forces have dropped 5,000-pound “deep penetrator munitions” near the Strait of Hormuz, targeting Iranian missile sites along the coastline.
The US military officially announced on X, “Hours ago, US forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz,” explaining in the post, which further reads, “The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait,” while sharing a map of the Strait of Hormuz.
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The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical maritime bottleneck, serving as the sole sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. The route has been disrupted by Iran since the war started following US and Israeli strikes. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an attack by US troops. As retaliation, Iran claimed “full control of the strait,” disturbing the vital shipping route that distributes goods, including fuel, across the globe.
Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran's coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the… pic.twitter.com/hgCSFH0cqO
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 17, 2026
What are 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions?
The 5,000-pound (2,267 kg) deep penetrator munitions are bunker-buster bombs, designed to destroy underground targets. According to the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the weapon is estimated to be in the 30,000-pound class and equipped with a 5,000-pound warhead.
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The deployment of the bunkers as a coastal defence suggests that Iran's fortifications around the Strait of Hormuz are on the US radar and now ready to be targeted.
Prior to the 2026 launch of Operation Epic Fury, US forces had already used the bombs against Iran during Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025. Those strikes specifically targeted the Fordow Uranium Enrichment Plant, the Natanz Nuclear Facility, and the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center to disable Tehran's nuclear infrastructure.
Recently, the US President had added, “We don't need any help, actually,” while addressing allies, but later, Trump called on other nations to help the US in the Strait of Hormuz matter. However, the UK and Spain declined the Republican's offer, refusing to be dragged into the war.
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