A U.S. assault on a key Iranian nuclear facility may not be efficient, even when American army’s huge bunker-buster bombs are used, a nationwide safety knowledgeable accustomed to Iran’s program informed ABC Information on Thursday.
Whereas the 30,000-pound bombs have been examined, they’ve by no means truly been used and the precise nature of the concrete and steel defending the location situated deep inside a mountain — that the bombs would wish to penetrate — is not absolutely identified.
Joe Cirincione, who has spent many years researching nuclear proliferation for Congress and different world leaders, informed ABC Information that whereas attacking Iran’s nuclear enrichment program would cripple its nuclear weapons functionality, it could not get rid of it.
Airmen take a look at a GBU-57, or the Large Ordnance Penetrator bomb, at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri, Could 2, 2023.
U.S. Air Drive through AP, FILE
On the middle of President Donald Trump’s choice on whether or not to assault Iran is the Fordo nuclear enrichment facility in northwest Iran. It is stated to be constructed 300 toes deep inside a mountain — possibly extra — and strengthened with concrete, based on consultants.
The U.S. weapon touted as capable of strike contained in the Fordo facility the GBU-57 A/B Large Ordnance Penetrator bomb, referred to as a “bunker buster.” It is able to penetrating 200 toes deep inside an underground goal after which exploding, consultants say.
A B-2 Spirit returns to Whiteman Air Drive Base, Missouri, from a deployment to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, Could 9, 2025.
Senior Airman Devan Halstead/509th Bomb Wing/US Air Drive
Cirincione stated that utilizing the untested weapon wouldn’t assure success.
“Fordo is just not a straightforward goal. They made this very tough for america to destroy,” he stated. “Even [the bunker buster] cannot penetrate 300 toes of mountain and strengthened concrete.
“It’s worthwhile to drop a bomb, that can dig a crater, after which one other bomb in that crater after which one other bomb, after which one other,” he stated. “After which you’ll solely harm that a part of the power.”
Cirincione additionally famous that even when there’s some harm executed, Iran’s authorities has the information, expertise and, most vital, sufficient enriched uranium and centrifuges in different locationsto transfer ahead with relative ease.
“You may’t bomb that,” he informed ABC Information. “You may gradual it down, however they will choose up and begin once more quick they usually realize it.”
The Worldwide Atomic Power Company this week handed a decision that said Iran had breached its non-proliferation agreements and has been illegally stockpiling enriched uranium.
“I have been there, it is half a mile underground,” Rafael Grossi, the IAEA’s director basic, stated concerning the Fordo plant, as reported by The New York Times.
Days after the IAEA acted, Israeli forces attacked Iranian targets after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the Iranian authorities might create a nuclear weapon “in a really brief time.”
Iranian officers have dismissed claims by Israel that they’re constructing a nuclear weapon.
White Home spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt informed reporters Thursday that the president would decide about attacking Iran “in two weeks.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, June 13, 2025, President Donald Trump in Washington, June 18, 2025 and Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, June 13, 2025.
AFP through Getty Photographs/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Cirincione pressured that continued army strikes wouldn’t be a superb possibility for Israel or the U.S. if the objective is an Iran with out nuclear weapons.
“When you acknowledge there is no such thing as a army resolution to this drawback, the army options can solely be threats to Iran and the one reply is to get Iran to comply with roll again and finish its capabilities,” he stated.
