The United States dramatically raised the stakes with Iran this weekend. It kick-started a military campaign directly intended on crippling Iran’s nuclear program. Yet despite this aggressive, provocative posture, the U.S. maintains that it is not at war with Iran. Its recent strikes on vital nuclear infrastructure represent a significant departure from how it intends to confront Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
At daybreak on Saturday morning, six U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers roared into the sunrise. They released six Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs on Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility, which was effectively disguised inside of a mountain. These 30,000 pound bombs, called “bunker busters,” are designed to penetrate very deeply buried targets. Their deployment would show the U.S. is serious about enforcing its commitments to dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Before the strikes, considering the severity of the attack, significant activity at Fordo was apparent in satellite images and U.S. forces moved to intercept it. As well as targeting Fordo with the initial six bombers, a seventh B-2 bomber was sent against the Natanz Nuclear Facility. It dropped two massive GBU-57 bombs on the location. One of three U.S. Navy submarines that supported the event also helped make it a success. It fired 30 Tomahawk missiles, targeting Natanz and a third site in Isfahan.
General Dan Caine, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, later testified to Congress that the sites reported “severe damage and destruction” from the attacks. He later blustered that Iran’s nuclear program was “destroyed.” He added that early battle damage assessments show “very, very serious damage and devastation” at each of the three locations.
“Obliteration is an accurate term! The white structure shown is deeply imbedded into the rock, with even its roof well below ground level, and completely shielded from flame. The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!” – Donald Trump
In the wake of the strikes, analysis based on satellite imagery corroborated “catastrophic damage to all Iranian nuclear sites.” An authoritarian regime would further respond with violence by launching new salvos against Israel. They pledged not to let any options go off the table after what they termed “US outrageous” moves.
Even with reports of widespread destruction, General Caine said that battle damage assessments were still in progress. He underscored that it remained early to speak on the overall results of the strikes. So far, if early reports are to be believed, all precision munitions have missed their targets.
The U.S. government maintains that these strikes are a necessity to stop Iran’s nuclear advances. They take place at a time of increased geopolitical tensions and have already produced charged responses from Tehran. President Trump remarked on the success of the strikes, stating that “monumental damage was done to all nuclear sites in Iran.”