Could America’s Deepest Bomb Break Iran’s Nuclear Defenses?

As tensions escalate between Israel and Iran, attention has turned to one weapon in the U.S. arsenal that could tip the balance: the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.

This 30,000-pound “bunker buster” was designed to destroy fortified targets buried deep beneath the surface, like Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, which sits under a mountain near Qom.

While Israel’s airstrikes have damaged above-ground military and nuclear infrastructure, Fordow remains intact. Experts say even the GBU-57 might not be enough on its own; multiple bombs may be needed to neutralize the site. Only the U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bomber can deliver these bombs, and only 20 of them exist.

With reports suggesting that B-2s have recently been deployed closer to the Middle East, speculation grows about whether the U.S. will join any potential direct strike.

Fordow enriches uranium close to weapons-grade levels, making it central to concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions.