Illustrative image. (U.S. Army)
President Donald Trump told his defense officials the United States should only strike Iran if its massive “bunker buster” bomb could definitely destroy the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, The Telegraph reported on June 19.
Fordow, located 30 kilometers to the north of the central Iranian city of Qom, is an essential part of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. The plant lies some 80-90 meters underground, making it completely immune to strikes with regular bunker buster bombs.
Israel, which launched an operation to cripple Iran’s nuclear program earlier in the week, has not yet attempted to target Fordow.
The special bunker buster bomb the U.S. is expected to use to breach Fordow if it joins the attack on Iran is the GBU-57 series Massive Ordnance Penetrator. It is made up of a 13,600 kg BLU-127 bomb body and respective guidance kit. B-2 Spirit stealth strategic bombers are expected to deliver the massive bomb.
According to The Telegraph, the effectiveness of the GBU-57 has been a source of ongoing debate at the Pentagon since the start of Trump’s presidency.
Only a tactical nuclear weapon might be capable of destroying Fordow enrichment facility, the outlet quoted U.S. officials as saying, noting that Trump is not considering the use of a tactical nuclear weapon on the underground plant, and the option was not presented during Situation Room meetings.
The U.S. Air Force has stated in the past that the GBU-57 is capable of penetrating up to 60 meters of unspecified material before exploding.
Defense officials were also told, according to The Telegraph, that completely destroying Fordow would likely require first softening the ground with conventional bombs, followed by a tactical nuclear strike delivered by a B-2 bomber.
During an interview with the Kan public broadcaster on June 19, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel was capable of hitting all nuclear facilities in Iran, including Fordow.
Asked whether Israel has the ability to destroy Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility without assistance from the United States, Netanyahu said, “We will achieve all our objectives and hit all of their nuclear facilities. We have the capability to do that.”
Whether Trump “wants to join or not — that’s entirely his decision,” Netanyahu added
“He’ll do what’s good for the United States, and I’ll do what’s good for the State of Israel,” said the premier, before adding that “as the saying goes — every contribution is welcome.”
Meanwhile, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel that they were still expecting the U.S. to join the attack on Iran’s nuclear program.
“The expectation is that they join, but no one is pushing them,” said the official. “They have to make their own decision.”
“We’ll know in the next 24-48 hours,” the official estimated.
Israel could indeed have the ability to attack Fordow without help from the U.S. Israeli journalist Barak Ravid said on June 19 that U.S. officials were informed that Israel would breach the plant “with humans,” implying that Israeli special forces could conduct a raid there.
Other scenarios includes Israel dropping a GBU-57-like bunker buster at the plant from a C-130 cargo plane, using a modified Jericho III ballistic missile with a shorter range and an ultra-heavy bunker buster warhead, or even blowing up the plant with a tunnel that the Mossad spy agency may have dug close enough and backed with tons of explosives.
Of course, it is also possible that Israel would simply blow up Fordow with a tactical nuclear weapon. Still, this will likely be its last option as it would expose its own nuclear program.
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no one sees the irony of using a nuclear weapon to stop an (alleged) nuclear program even if it’s a tactical one? the world has gone mad.
the nuclear program is an excuse. the real goal is regime change. the us dni confirmed in mars that iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon and is years aways from being able to field one.
of course its a excuse ! the real goal are to convince the world that the gangster state have “nuclear weapon”, and can do as it wants. you must understand, that empires always walks backwards to their death. ah, if only “satan” missiles existed ! and mr putin started to lend out his suitcase ! i should get rid of the trouble maker pretty soon. now we have to wait for some trick movies.
the us military will probably not do anything against iran. it is the same bullshit as usual. while the usa is probably giving israel indirect assistance, russia is doing nothing to help iran. i found it ironic when putin whined about ukraine invading the fringes of russia’s kursk oblast, despite invading ukraine to begin with.
no putin won’t do shit, but the united states is defiently entering into the israeli-iranians conflict to pulverize and grind the iranians into dust like what was done to the germans in both world wars, but in particular ww2. this one will be for the history books because iran is about to go up in flames like germany in 1945.
what was “done to” the germans in ww2 was done by the russians. the americans (specifically prescott bush) were financing hitler and only changed sides when they realized the russians were winning.
proud türk 🇹🇷 was suddenly eaten by a gluttonous chinkoid. uyghur genocide.
https : // t . me / china _ kino / 1553
indeed. they are “years” away, just like every other country is “years away” (in this case, infinity years away).
fraud, scam, grift, hoax, lie. fake fake fake.
https://archive.org/details/8d-0de-2
that’s typical anglo saxon logic. (or lack of)
the anglo-saxons were defeated and occupied in 1066. the normans have ruled ever since – under the ongoing tutelage of the holy roman empire from its outpost in the city-state of london – which, contrary to popular belief, is n.o.t. part of england.
iran is fucked! and i don’t feel bad for them either, that’s what they get for being so corrupt and incompetent to allow the israelis to penetrate their chain of command for decades. and also for being cowards and not supporting their allies while israel destroyed them one by one. now just like it wasn’t their problem as israel was destroying everyone, the world is now saying “not my promblem” as the iranisns are being pulverized and turned into gaza.
guess it’s a good thing that “nukes” are hilariously fake? never existed? never will exist?
it’s important to remember that the babylonian phoenicians lie as part of their religion (lying is a prayer to them).
but. don’t just take my word for it. read the book: https://archive.org/details/8d-0de-2
this is an undeclared world war, one fought through disinformation and strategic manipulation. while the dominant power is fading, it still poses a significant risk. nations may be cooperating behind the scenes in ways that are plausibly deniable – such as through intelligence coordination or satellite-guided operations – that may for iran outweigh the utility of nuclear force.
and it is illegal under international law
do not forget the fellowship of the ring ! a small group, carrying the destiny of the world in their hands.
oh my god, please.
he seems to be on vacation.
remember when rambo went on a rampage? yeah, meds are fun…
washington gamblers keep threaten the world again .the bunker busters are only a gamble with bad odds of success .1/2 mile in to a mountain is a long way for a nuke . and russian technicians are in these bases . the mafia gambles again
sf wont let me post the technical reasons russia can shoot down all american so called stealth bombers even if i quote actual russian military chiefs. omg !!!
fordow was built to withstand a nuclear blast, so extremely bad odds.
quite amazing to think that 80 years ago a relatively small british force was able to occupy iran and use it as a gateway to supply russia. 80 years later the same powers are contemplating using nuclear weapons to stop their former allies trade routes which incorporate iran as a partner.
the british rank-and-file troops on the ground were allies; the ‘leaders of men’ as the officer class likes to call themselves were (and are) most definitely not. the vermin-in-ermine tried to get stalin to invade poland before hitler did, but they outsmarted themselves and were forced to declare war on germany when hitler wouldn’t wait.
no more 2 weeks.
israel is a small country; if usa does not help
israel cannot win this war on its own.
usa must launch a swift attack in the form of blitz assaults as soon as possible.
this means as few usa losses as possible.
a two-week delay would allow the enemy to strengthen and recover, which is why waiting two weeks would only increase usa s’ losses.
you can’t make an omelet without breaking eggs.”
maga
this has the potential to destroy the maga movement more surely than any number of lawsuits and impeachment.
and the us and trump will not even have the excuse of being attacked and defending the us or israel.
maga? in 50 years the west coast will be part of mexico and the east coast part of the atlantic. your country’s doomed.
mama – make america mexico again!!!!!
miga…lol schlomo.
are you beginning to feel nervous ? as many “us” losses as possible is the preferred outcome. sink every ship ! and look out for this “two weak period” ! do not trust a word from them ! its like trust a lizard, or a poisonous snake.
the enemy is the jewish supremacist organized crime enclave.
mad bibi is the modern day valerian: a footstool for the persians.
attacking a peaceful country while pretending to negotiate then then nuking them for something they do not have makes israel who does have nukes the most dangerous and evil country on the planet. with their american stooges/accomplices a close second.
“us” are the source to nazi germany, and “israel” are their child, baptisted by russia to “jews”. if they read “mein kampf”, or the bible, the same outcome. soon, every native people will understand this, and many already do.
i dont care even if they blow away israel and iran with nukes, i am here to read how much of slav ukraine is liberated and for 3 days its no update on the frontline. but some telegram channels say its not cause its going poorly so where is the update?
zionism is a mental illness
zionism is israeli nationalism, and like all nationalisms is a kind of irrational belief system that carry in it the seeds of the destruction of what it wants to help.
“if you are strong, appear weak. but if you are weak, appear strong” – tsun tsu.
be all a complete waste of time if iran had a leased nuclear deterrence, like uk does.
iran needs to make it clear that there is already an agreed successor supreme leader waiting in the wings and a potential successor possible for the successor. continuity of supreme leadership.