The chain reaction caused by the Flying Eagle wiping out the Earth Force nuclear weapons unit was no small matter. After those nuclear bombs detonated, many developments unfolded on the battlefield. First, both the Earth Force and ZAFT briefly halted their offensives because of the sudden massive explosions. But ZAFT quickly seemed to be injected with adrenaline and began crushing the Earth Force.
Put simply, after the nuclear bombs went off, it was as though ZAFT had received a thirty-percent buff to every aspect of its strength. They even threw in all their reserve forces, pressing forward with everything they had. For a time, the Earth Force could hardly resist and could only fight while retreating, eventually withdrawing as the defeated side.
The Earth Force's use of nuclear bombs in the war also sent chills through the other factions that had been watching the battle. Such unscrupulous methods angered many people, but they also created many problems.
According to PLNAT, this fleet had been discovered near the agricultural satellite cluster Junius. However, the Earth Force firmly denied dispatching a nuclear weapons unit. Given the current circumstances, there was no way to verify the dead. Aside from reconnaissance records, PLNAT had little evidence to offer. Since ZAFT had not destroyed the fleet, there were likewise no battle records at all.
Yet not many people believed the Earth Force's claims. In truth, even the Earth Force itself was baffled. A nuclear fleet had inexplicably exploded—there had been no communication, no information, and it had simply vanished without a trace. Some even speculated that ZAFT had developed some new weapon they could not conveniently reveal, which was why they had delayed producing evidence. Or perhaps there had been an operational mistake and some sort of accident?
At this time, several Neutral Countries led