A U.S. assault on a key Iranian nuclear facility won’t be efficient, even when American navy’s huge bunker-buster bombs are used, a nationwide safety knowledgeable accustomed to Iran’s program advised 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 metallic defending the location situated deep inside a mountain — that the bombs would wish to penetrate — is not totally identified.
Joe Cirincione, who has spent many years researching nuclear proliferation for Congress and different world leaders, advised ABC Information that whereas attacking Iran’s nuclear enrichment program would cripple its nuclear weapons functionality, it will not remove it.
Airmen take a look at a GBU-57, or the Large Ordnance Penetrator bomb, at Whiteman Air Base in Missouri, Might 2, 2023.
U.S. Air Pressure by way of AP, FILE
On the middle of President Donald Trump’s determination on whether or not to assault Iran is the Fordo nuclear enrichment facility in northwest Iran. It is mentioned to be constructed 300 ft deep inside a mountain — perhaps extra — and strengthened with concrete, in response to specialists.
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 ft deep inside an underground goal after which exploding, specialists say.
A B-2 Spirit returns to Whiteman Air Pressure Base, Missouri, from a deployment to Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory, Might 9, 2025.
Senior Airman Devan Halstead/509th Bomb Wing/US Air Pressure
Cirincione mentioned that utilizing the untested weapon wouldn’t assure success.
“Fordo will not be a simple goal. They made this very tough for the US to destroy,” he mentioned. “Even (the bunker buster) can’t penetrate 300 ft of mountain and strengthened concrete.
“You should drop a bomb, that may dig a crater, after which one other bomb in that crater after which one other bomb, after which one other,” he mentioned. “After which you’ll solely injury that a part of the ability.”
Cirincione additionally famous that even when there’s some injury achieved, Iran’s authorities has the information, expertise and, most necessary, sufficient enriched uranium and centrifuges in different locationsto transfer ahead with relative ease.
“You may’t bomb that,” he advised ABC Information. “You may gradual it down, however they’ll decide up and begin once more quick and so they realize it.”
The Worldwide Atomic Vitality Company this week handed a decision that acknowledged 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 common, mentioned in regards to the Fordo plant, as reported by The New York Instances.
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 advised 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 by way of Getty Photos/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Cirincione confused that continued navy strikes wouldn’t be a very good choice 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 navy answer to this downside, the navy 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 mentioned.
