As the conflict between Israel and Iran intensifies, U.S. President Donald Trump continues to weigh military intervention options. Despite ongoing airstrikes and counterstrikes, neither side appears able to decisively shift the momentum of the war.
While the Israeli military has reportedly succeeded in assassinating key Iranian commanders and destroying above-ground targets, growing questions are being raised about its ability to strike Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility—the fortified heart of Tehran’s nuclear programme. According to Behnam Ben Taleblu, a researcher with the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, Fordow presents a unique and formidable challenge.
Israel does not possess the 13-ton U.S.-made GBU-57 “Massive Ordnance Penetrator”, the only bomb capable of penetrating deep enough to potentially destroy Fordow, which lies buried beneath a mountain.
Suppose the United States decides to join Israel militarily. In that case, analysts suggest the Pentagon may deploy this bunker-busting superweapon, marking a significant escalation—from missile interception support to direct strike capabilities against Iran.
What Are Bunker-Busting Bombs?
Military and intelligence experts have highlighted that the GBU-57, weighing nearly 13,000 kilograms, is the only known weapon that could realistically destroy the Fordow uranium enrichment facility, which is carved into a mountain south of Tehran.
The U.S. is currently the only country with access to such weaponry, which must be deployed via B-2 Spirit stealth bombers. Any use of these bombs against Iran would signify a major strategic shift in U.S. policy—from defensive cooperation with Israel to full-scale offensive operations.
Bunker-busting bombs are designed to destroy deeply buried and reinforced military targets that conventional munitions cannot reach. The GBU-57 carries a 2,700 kg high-explosive warhead, is precisely guided, and is constructed from high-strength steel. It is capable of penetrating up to 61 metres underground before detonation.
The B-2 Spirit can carry two of these bombs simultaneously. According to the U.S. Air Force, multiple bombs can be released in sequence from a single aircraft or multiple aircraft, allowing each strike to burrow deeper and compound the total destructive impact.
What Weapons Does Israel Use?
Israel, meanwhile, relies on American-made bunker-busters such as the GBU-28 and BLU-109, typically deployed from F-15 fighter jets. However, these munitions lack the penetration capability required to destroy facilities like Fordow.
In 2024, it was widely reported that Israel used sequential BLU-109 bombs in an attempt to assassinate Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in an underground command site in Beirut.
How Deep Is the Fordow Nuclear Site?
Fordow is located approximately 95 km southwest of Tehran and about 32 km south of Qom, Iran’s seventh-largest city and a major religious-political hub. The facility is buried inside a mountain and estimated to lie between 80 and 90 metres underground, rendering it virtually immune to conventional airstrikes.
Construction of Fordow began in 2006 and it became operational by 2009—the same year Iran publicly acknowledged its existence.
Due to its fortified location, Fordow represents a major challenge for Israel’s attempts to cripple Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, especially via traditional aerial bombardment.
Fordow in the Context of the Nuclear Deal
Under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Agreement, Tehran agreed to halt uranium enrichment at Fordow and convert the site into a research centre. However, following the U.S. withdrawal from the deal in 2018, Iran resumed enrichment activities at the facility, consistently asserting that its programme is civilian in nature.
Fordow is believed to be protected by a combination of Iranian and Russian air defence systems, although some of these may have been damaged in recent Israeli airstrikes.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has labelled the ongoing campaign as essential to dismantling Iran’s missile and nuclear capabilities, describing the Islamic Republic as an “existential threat.”
Israeli officials have declared Fordow a primary target. In an interview with Fox News, Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yehiel Leiter stated:
“This operation must be completed by eliminating Fordow.”
Other Iranian Nuclear Sites Hit
Israel is also believed to have struck the upper sections of the Natanz enrichment facility, Iran’s largest nuclear site. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a power outage caused by the Israeli strike may have damaged the site’s underground enrichment halls.
Satellite images show extensive damage to Natanz, and additional Israeli strikes have targeted the Isfahan enrichment facility in central Iran.
Risk of Radiation Leak
On Monday, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned of the potential for radiological and chemical contamination following the attacks.
Speaking at an emergency session in Vienna, Grossi confirmed that radiation levels outside both Natanz and Isfahan remain normal, but cautioned that continued military escalation increases the risk of a nuclear incident.
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