What to know about B-2 stealth bombers used by the US on Iran’s nuclear facility?
Bangkok: The United States has launched bunker-buster bombs on Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility, using advanced B-2 stealth bombers to target one of the most fortified underground sites in the country. The move marks Washington’s first direct military action in Israel’s conflict with Iran.
A US official confirmed the use of the GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 13,600-kg precision-guided bomb specifically designed to destroy deep underground bunkers. The Fordo facility, located near the city of Qom and buried under approximately 80 metres of rock, had remained untouched during Israel’s earlier airstrikes.
The B-2 bombers capable of carrying these massive bombs had been seen moving toward Asia earlier in the weekend, signalling possible US involvement. Fordo’s fortification and its role in uranium enrichment had made it a high-priority target.
While the full extent of the damage is not yet known, the strike could have far-reaching consequences. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has previously confirmed uranium enrichment activity at Fordo, raising concerns about nuclear material exposure if the site is compromised. However, previous Israeli strikes on Iran’s Natanz facility did not cause contamination outside the targeted areas.
Fordo was first operational in 2009, three years after construction began. It is Iran’s second major nuclear site after Natanz and is protected by Iranian and reportedly Russian air defences, many of which have already been neutralised in recent Israeli operations.
US officials have not publicly confirmed the exact number of bombs dropped, but the GBU-57 is capable of being deployed in sequence to penetrate increasingly deeper. It is the heaviest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal and has only been configured for use by B-2 aircraft.
The strike came just two days after US President Donald Trump said he would take “two weeks” to decide whether the US would become militarily involved. His decision came swiftly, potentially ending hopes for renewed diplomatic negotiations with Tehran.
Israel has described Fordo as a core part of Iran’s nuclear threat. “This entire operation really has to be completed with the elimination of Fordo,” said Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the US.
The situation remains fluid, with global concerns mounting over a wider regional war and the future of nuclear diplomacy in the Middle East.
(With AP inputs)