The United States just launched a new military campaign, this one aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear facilities. This use represented the first time that the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, sometimes referred to as the “bunker buster” bomb, was utilized in combat. It was President Donald Trump that started this operation. It targeted some of Iran’s most important facilities, including the heavily fortified Fordow nuclear fuel enrichment plant. The strikes were executed after Israel appealed for American intervention, seeking advanced military capabilities to neutralize perceived threats from Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
On the evening of those strikes, half a dozen GBU-57 smart bombs landed on the Fordow facility. This unique facility is profoundly militarized in anti-aircraft batteries to fend off an aerial incursion. This facility is located around 200 feet underground, posing enough of a challenge that it could not succumb to a typical airstrike. In parallel to this multi-day bombardment of Fordow, we struck with forces, firing 30 Tomahawk missiles at other nuclear installations. These were notable installations like Natanz, buried roughly three stories underground.
The GBU-57 is a huge bomb, at an incredible 30,000 pounds. It employs that massive weight and kinetic energy to deeply penetrate buried targets before detonating. After all, this ability to accurately strike deeply buried, reinforced complexes through adverse weather is highly effective at neutralizing advanced strongholds. The bomb can only be dropped by the B-2 stealth bomber, a platform not shared with any other nation.
Trump emphasized the strategic intent behind the strikes, stating, “Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horrible destructive enterprise. Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility.” He called the operation a “spectacular military success,” noting its efficiency in fulfilling set military objectives as a success.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support for the strikes, asserting that the “awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history.” The cooperation between the United States and Israel during this operation reflects a longstanding alliance focused on regional security and stability.
That’s because the Fordow site is one of Iran’s most fortified sites, probably beyond the reach of even Israeli airstrikes. This has posed an enormous challenge for military planners. With the GBU-57’s first combat deployment, the U.S. sent a clear message that it has the capability to defeat such existential threats.
Trump further remarked on the operational collaboration, stating that his administration “worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before,” underscoring the unity between U.S. and Israeli military strategies.