The emphasis has now turned to one of the Islamic Republic’s most closely guarded places, the Fordow nuclear facility, which is hidden deep within a rock, as tensions are rising between Israel and Iran. Fordow, a crucial component of Iran’s nuclear program, was created specifically to withstand normal attacks, and its destruction is a crucial component of any serious effort to end Tehran’s nuclear development. However, there is a catch: only the United States has a tool that can penetrate that rock. And with US President Donald Trump consistently saying that Iran” should not have a radioactive tool,” Israel and the US appear to be on the same page, in all cap on Truth Social.
What exactly is a “bunker-buster weapon”?
This 30-million-pound bomb, known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator ( MOP), is a feat of engineering designed for the purpose of annihilating deeply buried and fortified targets. It was developed after knowledge revealed that adversaries like Iran and North Korea were moving important infrastructure, including nuclear programs, underwater to avoid strikes, and it was only known as a “bunker-buster.”
- The MOP’s tubing is reinforced steel rather than a big explosive payload, making it 20 foot long and 30 000 pounds. Before detonating, it can be pierced through dozens of feet of masonry, earth, or rock with this style.
- Shipping system: Only the B-2 Spirit secrecy bomber, a US-exclusive aircraft, can transport and use the tool due to its enormous size.
Why does it matter to Israel?
Israel has long expressed concern about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, especially after the IAEA revealed in 2023 that the uranium at Fordow had been enriched to 83.7 % purity, just below the 90 % threshold required for a nuclear weapon. Israel does, however, lack the MOP and the airplane needed to transport it despite having advanced fighter planes and intelligence capabilities. The US has previously declined to give this bomb to Israel because it fears it will stoke a wider geographical conflict. During Trump’s second term, US Central Command captain General Joseph Votel remarked,” We’ve had a plan for a long time that we didn’t want them to utilize those.” Instead, the US has retaliated by using the MOP as a deterrent, showing Iran that its underground features are still susceptible.
What option strategies did Israel had?
Without having access to the MOP, Israel has devised emergency plans to directly devastate Fordow:
- Help infrastructure in the form of dramatic support: Israeli forces could obliterate the power plants and transmission points that feed Fordow, causing disruption to operations even if the primary facility is still operational.
- Secret operations: Jewish commandos might try to sabotage and infiltrate the site. This is a tactic Israel has employed before, most recently in Syria, when they attempted to destroy a Hezbollah missile factory.
- Open control: Another option would be to block access by destroying tunnels and entrances, making the facility inaccessible.
How challenging is it to pin Fordow?
After its primary service in Natanz, Iran’s Fordow nuclear enrichment facility is its second. There is no evidence to date that Israeli strikes have damaged Natanz’s underwater enhancement facilities or that they have targeted the pipe networks Iran is building nearby. Fordow is farther away from Natanz than it is from a mountain near the city of Qom, which is located about 60 kilometers ( 95 meters ) south of Tehran. The hospital went into operation in 2009, the same year Iran’s official revealed its existence, after construction is thought to have begun in 2006. Fordow is reportedly protected by surface-to-air missile systems supplied by both Iran and Russia while it is submerged beneath about 80 meters ( 260 feet ) of rock and earth. However, it is believed that those atmosphere defenses were already compromised by new Jewish airstrikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized that the Iranian government’s nuclear and missile programs are intended to end them, which he views as an existential risk despite its fierce security. Fordow continues to be a crucial component of that larger approach, according to Jewish officials.
