Destroying Iran’s deepest nuclear facility ‘only the U.S. can do’: expert
President Donald Trump has remained tight-lipped on whether the U.S. will resort to direct military action against Iran to prevent the country from obtaining a nuclear weapon. However, security experts are warning that eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat is a task that only the U.S. is equipped to handle.
Israel recently launched a series of strikes against Iran, targeting the Natanz nuclear facility. According to the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, the facility’s underground structures were directly impacted by the strikes, although the full extent of the damage is still unknown.
One of Iran’s most dangerous nuclear sites is the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, capable of producing a nuclear warhead in just a matter of days. The facility is heavily protected, buried up to 300 feet underground. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, emphasized that destroying the Fordow facility from the air is a task that only the U.S. military can accomplish.
To penetrate the deeply buried Fordow facility, specialized munitions such as the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) may be required. This 30,000-pound bomb is designed to penetrate underground targets, but even its reach is limited to around 200 feet. The U.S. possesses the necessary stealth delivery platforms and precision intelligence capabilities to successfully target the Fordow facility.
While Israel has a formidable military capability, including advanced aircraft like the F-35I Adirs and F-15I Ra’ams, it lacks the specific munitions and delivery platforms needed to penetrate the Fordow facility. Without U.S. cooperation or innovative alternatives, such as internal sabotage, Israel may face limitations in targeting the site effectively.
President Trump has emphasized the U.S. military’s control over the skies above Iran, highlighting American-made defense equipment’s superiority. Despite escalating tensions, the White House has not confirmed any plans for a direct strike on Iranian soil. Trump has reiterated Iran’s inability to possess a nuclear weapon and issued warnings about the ongoing conflict.
As the conflict between Israel and Iran continues, the international community remains on edge. Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon has indicated that Israeli forces are actively engaged in Iran, with promising results on the ground. However, he acknowledged Israel’s limited capabilities compared to Iran’s size and population.
The situation remains fluid, with President Trump closely monitoring developments from the Situation Room. Whether the U.S. or Israel will launch a direct attack on Iran remains uncertain, as the world watches anxiously for further developments in this high-stakes conflict.
