As the world watches the spiralling tensions between Iran, Israel, and the United States, military analysts are focusing on a singular question: Will Donald Trump deploy the GBU-57—America’s most powerful “bunker buster” bomb—to take out Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility?
The Fordow uranium enrichment plant, buried deep beneath the mountains of Iran, is considered one of the Islamic Republic’s most fortified nuclear sites. According to intelligence assessments, it sits beneath at least 200 feet of rock and concrete, making it virtually impenetrable to conventional weapons.
With reports that President Trump has approved military plans to strike Iran—pending a final order—the focus has shifted to the only known weapon that could potentially breach Fordow’s reinforced layers: the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP).
What Is the GBU-57?
The GBU-57 is a 30,000-pound (13,600 kg) precision-guided bomb specifically engineered to destroy deeply buried facilities. Known in military circles as a “bunker buster,” this massive weapon delivers devastating kinetic energy, allowing it to burrow into the earth before detonating.
“They are big, very heavy. There’s a lot of explosives in them,” said military analyst Michael Clarke, reported in Telegraph. “They’re designed to explode twice—once to break through and again deep inside the target.”
The GBU-57 is so large it can only be deployed from a U.S. B-2 stealth bomber, which adds another layer of complexity and secrecy to any potential mission.
Israel’s Limitations
Despite its advanced military capability, Israel does not currently possess the GBU-57, nor does it have the aircraft necessary to carry such a bomb. Israeli officials have long expressed interest in neutralizing Iran’s nuclear infrastructure but have faced limitations due to the depth and security of facilities like Fordow.
While Israel does maintain smaller bunker-busting bombs in its arsenal, none are believed capable of destroying Fordow without U.S. cooperation.
Why Fordow Matters
The Fordow facility, hidden within a mountain near the city of Qom, is central to Iran’s controversial nuclear program. Though Iran insists the site is for peaceful energy development, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has cited Tehran for breaching non-proliferation rules—raising fears the plant could one day produce weapons-grade uranium.
Fordow’s strategic location and heavy fortification mean it could withstand conventional missile attacks, which would make the GBU-57 a critical factor in any U.S.-led attempt to neutralize Iran’s nuclear threat.
Will Trump Authorize Its Use?
Trump, who has already expressed willingness to strike Iran, told reporters this week:
“I may do it, I may not do it. Nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
While his administration remains officially non-committal, U.S. military leaders have confirmed that strike plans have been approved in principle, and that a decision could come at any moment depending on Iran’s diplomatic posture.
Some analysts believe Trump is using the threat of the GBU-57 to pressure Iran into abandoning its nuclear ambitions, while others fear it may signal the first steps toward a direct military confrontation.
Global Ramifications
If deployed, the use of a 30,000-pound bomb against Iran would mark a historic escalation in U.S. military operations—one that could draw in multiple actors, including China and Russia, and trigger wider conflict in the Middle East.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any U.S. military action would bring “irreparable damage” and has vowed that the Iranian nation “will not surrender.”
For now, the bomb remains inside a U.S. arsenal—but the countdown may have already begun.
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