U.S.’s heavy duty attack on Iran’s nuke sites

25 Jun 2025 GS 2 International Relations
    Live Views: Loading...
U.S.’s heavy duty attack on Iran’s nuke sites Click toview full image

Context:

  • On June 21, 2025, the U.S. conducted precision airstrikes on Iran’s key nuclear enrichment sites: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.

  • Claimed by President Trump as a "spectacular military success", the operation aimed to neutralise Iran’s nuclear program in support of Israel.

  • The strikes were led by B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, deploying GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs), and supported by Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Key Strike Details:

Aircraft Used:

  • 7 B-2 Spirit stealth bombers conducted the mission with:

    • 14 GBU-57 MOPs

    • Decoy aircraft for misdirection

  • US submarine launched ~24 Tomahawk missiles at Isfahan.

Objectives:

  • Target deeply buried nuclear facilities, especially Fordow, located beneath mountains.

  • Disrupt Iran’s nuclear capabilities beyond the reach of Israeli weapons.

Why the B-2 Spirit Was Used:

  • Only aircraft capable of carrying the 30,000 lb GBU-57 MOP.

  • Stealth capabilities help evade radar and air defences.

  • Extremely long-range and precise targeting capabilities.

 Key Specs:

  • Crew: 2

  • Range: 6,000 miles (unrefueled)

  • Payload: 40,000 lbs

  • Cost: Over $2 billion per aircraft

  • Current fleet: 19 active out of 21 built

  • High maintenance: Needs 100 hours of servicing per flight hour; requires climate-controlled hangars.

Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP):

  • GBU-57 MOP: Designed to destroy hardened, underground nuclear facilities.

  • Specs:

    • Weight: 30,000 lbs

    • Penetration: Up to 200 ft underground or 25 ft through high-strength concrete.

    • GPS-guided

  • Only B-2 can deploy the MOP.

  • 20 MOPs were procured by USAF.

  • Strike reports suggest severe damage to sites, though Fordow may not be fully destroyed.

           

Why Bunker Busters Were Needed:

  • Fordow lies 80–90 meters deep inside a mountain near Qom.

  • It is fortified against airstrikes, previously beyond Israeli capabilities.

  • GBU-57 is uniquely suited for such deeply buried, reinforced targets.

New Developments: The B-21 Raider

  • B-21 Raider: The next-generation stealth bomber being developed.

  • Expected to enter service by the late 2020s.

  • Features:

    • Dual-capable (nuclear and conventional)

    • Open systems architecture for easy upgrades

    • Cost: ~$550 million per unit

    • Target acquisition: 100+ aircraft for USAF

Strategic Implications & Outlook:

  • Operation not aimed at regime change, but to deter nuclear threats and support Israeli operations post-June 13 escalation.

  • Uncertainty remains about the enriched uranium stockpile.

  • Raises questions about nuclear non-proliferation, U.S.-Iran relations, and possible retaliation.

  • Highlights U.S. reliance on advanced stealth and precision-strike capabilities to neutralise threats.




← Back to list