Why Israel Lacks the Capability to Destroy Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Facility

The escalating conflict between Israel and Iran places a spotlight on the Fordow nuclear facility, a critical site for Tehran’s nuclear program. While Israel has stated its intent to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, it currently lacks the necessary tools to destroy Fordow. The key factor is the depth of the facility, buried under 260-300 feet of rock. The GBU-57/B, the American bunker-buster bomb, is considered the only weapon capable of achieving this penetration. Israel’s existing bunker-buster bomb, the GBU-28, is far less powerful, unable to penetrate the depth required. Fordow, located near Qom, is designed to be resilient to attack, requiring significant force to damage. Iran’s nuclear program has been dispersed across multiple underground locations to withstand potential attacks. The GBU-57/B is delivered by the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, which can evade Iran’s air defenses, and the bomb’s GPS guidance ensures precision. The warhead is designed to disrupt essential equipment even if the facility isn’t fully destroyed.