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6/17/2025, 6:54:05 PM
Will the US join in?
This is the 30,000lb question. Because that, (13,600kg), is the tonnage of the weapon that would be needed to reach some of Iran’s most secretive and valuable nuclear apparatus, buried 90m (295ft) deep under a mountain in a place called Fordow.
The weapon, to give it its full name, is the GBU-57 MOP, standing for Massive Ordnance Penetrator and it can hit targets as deep as 61m underground, or deeper with repeated strikes.
The US has it, Israel does not.
Almost the only aircraft configured to carry this massive but non-nuclear bomb is the USAF B2 Spirit bomber, which can carry two at a time.
These aircraft are currently believed to be stationed on the Indian Ocean US-British base at Diego Garcia, 2,358 miles (3,796km) from Iran and well within the B2 range.
There is also a US Navy Carrier Strike Group heading for the region, led by the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier.
So if Israel is to destroy Iran’s capacity to build a nuclear weapon, it needs to deal with Fordow.
It can’t do that from the air but the US could, if it chose. An Israeli commando raid is one, extremely risky, option.
But for now, a lot of people will be watching the US military build-up in the region and asking: is this a bluff to pressure Tehran into a deal or is America going to join in this fight, despite President Trump’s aversion to wars?
This is the 30,000lb question. Because that, (13,600kg), is the tonnage of the weapon that would be needed to reach some of Iran’s most secretive and valuable nuclear apparatus, buried 90m (295ft) deep under a mountain in a place called Fordow.
The weapon, to give it its full name, is the GBU-57 MOP, standing for Massive Ordnance Penetrator and it can hit targets as deep as 61m underground, or deeper with repeated strikes.
The US has it, Israel does not.
Almost the only aircraft configured to carry this massive but non-nuclear bomb is the USAF B2 Spirit bomber, which can carry two at a time.
These aircraft are currently believed to be stationed on the Indian Ocean US-British base at Diego Garcia, 2,358 miles (3,796km) from Iran and well within the B2 range.
There is also a US Navy Carrier Strike Group heading for the region, led by the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier.
So if Israel is to destroy Iran’s capacity to build a nuclear weapon, it needs to deal with Fordow.
It can’t do that from the air but the US could, if it chose. An Israeli commando raid is one, extremely risky, option.
But for now, a lot of people will be watching the US military build-up in the region and asking: is this a bluff to pressure Tehran into a deal or is America going to join in this fight, despite President Trump’s aversion to wars?
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