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Israel is capable of dealing with Iran's nuclear facilities, but without the support of the U.S. it is impossible to attack Fordo, the underground uranium enrichment facility, which is located about 100 kilometers southwest of Tehran, reports The New York Times.
According to the newspaper, although US President Donald Trump was seeking a diplomatic solution to the conflict between Israel and Iran, he seemed convinced that having credible military options would give him a stronger position in nuclear negotiations with the Persian country.
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Although Trump's stance on the conflict between Tel Aviv and Tehran has fluctuated, according to the NYT, he is now "seriously" considering sending US planes to help resupply Israeli fighters and trying to destroy Iran's underground nuclear facility in Fordo with bombs weighing over 13,000 kilos, which would be seen as a change from his opposition just two months ago to any military action while there was still a possibility of a diplomatic solution.
Trump himself has refused to confirm whether Washington would get militarily involved in the direct war effort against Iran. The North American country, unlike Israel, possesses a 13,600-kilo bomb, which is believed to be able to damage the nuclear facility in Fordo, built deep inside a mountain. Meanwhile, in recent days, the U.S. has increased its military presence in the Middle East. In this context, the media outlet emphasizes that Washington can help the Hebrew country destroy the Fordo uranium enrichment facility, by resorting to the largest anti-bunker weapon in the American arsenal, GBU-57, also nicknamed 'mother of all bombs'. The GPS-guided GBU-57 bomb, GBU-57, is officially known as the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, and is considered the largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. The B-2 Spirit long-range stealth bomber is capable of launching such a projectile. "Israel does not possess either the weapon or the bomber needed to fly it and fly over the target," summarizes NYT. However, even if the American leader authorized B-2 stealth bombers to launch those bombs, there would be several technical obstacles to coordinating such an operation with Israel. Furthermore, the decision to use this bunker-busting weapon would have enormous international consequences, such as nuclear contamination, which would endanger the civilian population. Meanwhile, Tzaji Hanegbi, head of Israel's National Security Council, stated that the Hebrew country's military operation against Iran will not end without the destruction of the Fordo facility. On the other hand, CBS News points out that while Trump is weighing the decision to join the attacks of the Hebrew State against Iranian nuclear facilities, there is no full agreement on the subject among his closest advisors.
