Latest news with #JonathanRuhe
Roya News
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
US deploys B-2 bombers, capable of destroying Iran's Fordow nuclear facility to Pacific: Report
The United States has deployed six B-2 stealth bombers toward Guam, a strategic base in the Western Pacific, amid escalating regional tensions and ongoing 'Israeli' airstrikes on Iranian territory. The aircraft are capable of carrying the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a bunker-busting bomb believed to be the only conventional weapon that could threaten Iran's heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility. According to a report by Fox News, the bombers departed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, accompanied by at least four aerial refueling tankers. Flight tracking data and air traffic control communications indicated that the bombers likely refueled shortly after takeoff, suggesting they may have launched with a heavy payload that could include bunker-buster munitions. Fordow, located near the city of Qom and buried 80–90 meters beneath a mountain, has long been regarded as one of Iran's most secure nuclear sites. Experts have debated whether even the GBU-57—designed to penetrate reinforced underground bunkers—could fully destroy the site, though multiple strikes may be capable of collapsing surrounding infrastructure. 'Destroying Fordow from the air is a job only the U.S. can do,' Fox News Digital quoted Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, as saying. Jonathan Ruhe of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) explained that the GBU-57 relies on gravity and kinetic energy to burrow through layers of rock and concrete before detonation, potentially collapsing or disabling key infrastructure underground. The 'Israeli' daily Haaretz reported that Fordow is already among the designated targets in Israel's military planning. A senior Israeli military source told the outlet: 'If we are given the order to strike, we will act.' While the bombers are currently en route to Guam, Haaretz noted they may continue on to Diego Garcia, a U.S. base in the Indian Ocean that lies just over 3,500 kilometers from Iran, though this has not been confirmed. The deployment follows an intense week of conflict. On June 13, 'Israel' launched over 1,000 airstrikes across Iran, targeting missile infrastructure, military facilities, and nuclear sites. Tehran responded with missile attacks, escalating fears of a wider regional war. The Iranian Health Ministry reported that at least 430 people have been killed and over 3,500 wounded in the 'Israeli' assault. In contrast, Israeli authorities say at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iran's retaliatory strikes. Iran has issued a warning to the United States, stating that direct involvement in 'Israeli'-led operations would trigger a regional response. Tehran also said it would not return to stalled nuclear talks 'under fire.'
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
American B-2 stealth bombers with terrifying capabilities 'are on the move' as Iran tensions heat up
Deadly stealth bombers, which only the US has in their arsenal, are on their way to a US Air Force base in Guam amid growing tensions with Iran, according to reports. Six B-2 stealth bombers, docked at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, appeared to be on the move on Saturday morning, according to Fox News. The bombers are said to have been refueled, which means they could have launched without full tanks due to the extraordinarily heavy bunker-buster bombs. The B-2 is capable of carrying a 30,000-pound bomb, which experts have concluded could be the only way to destroy Iran's most heavily fortified nuclear site, Fordo. The bomb, known as the GBU-57 or the Massive Ordinance Penetrator, is something only the US military possesses. The Fordo fuel enrichment plant is buried deep within a mountain system in Iran, but experts don't know exactly how deep, which complicates a potential US mission to neutralize it. Experts who spoke to The New York Times believe the facility at its shallowest is 250 feet deep, but could be as much as 30 feet deeper. Nonetheless, GBU-57 is the only way to assuredly wipe out the facility, short of using a nuclear device. These aircraft are capable of carrying a payload as heavy as the 30,000-pound bunker buster bomb (pictured) that the US military could use to destroy a fortified nuclear facility in Iran called Fordo Jonathan Ruhe, the director of foreign policy for the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, said this type of bomb is designed to use the force of gravity to 'penetrate through any mixture of earth, rock, and concrete before the bomb itself then explodes' underground. Ruhe told Fox News that the explosion could take out the facility fully or 'collapse the structure' around the target 'without necessarily obliterating it.' America's possible escalating involvement in the Middle Eastern conflict comes as Israel and Iran have been launching tit-for-tat airstrikes against one another for the last week. The war between the two countries began when Israel launched what it called Operation Rising Lion on Friday, June 13. Israel targeted nuclear sites and military sites within Iran, while also killing many of Iran's top military commanders. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation against Iran would last 'as many days as it takes.' 'We struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment program. We struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear weaponization program. We targeted Iran's main enrichment facility in Natanz. We targeted Iran's leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. We also struck at the heart of Iran's ballistic missile program,' he said in a seven-minute video released shortly after what Israel called pre-emptive strikes. So far, Israel's strikes have killed 657 people in Iran, while Iran has killed 24 people in Israel. Israel's objective, to stop Iran from compiling enough fissile material to make a nuke, cannot be completed until the Fordo facility is destroyed. That's why Israel has been asking the Trump administration to get involved in the conflict, since the US is the only nation with the capability to strike at Fordo. For days, Trump has been coy about whether the US will in fact enter the war and fly a mission to Fordo. On Wednesday, he told reporters who were asking him about it: 'You don't seriously think I'm going to answer that question. Will you strike the Iranian nuclear component?' 'I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do. I can tell you this, that Iran's got a lot of trouble. And they want to negotiate. And I say why didn't you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction,' he said. Trump warned that Tehran has a 'maximum' of two weeks to avoid possible American air strikes if they don't abandon their nuclear ambitions. At a conference on Thursday, Karoline Leavitt said Trump would be making a decision in the next 14 days. Trump recently publicly disagreed with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who testified in March that there is 'no evidence' Iran is building a nuclear weapon. 'She's wrong,' Trump said Friday in New Jersey just off to the side of Air Force One. 'My intelligence community is wrong.' Gabbard has since reversed course and clarified that Iran could produce nukes 'within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly.' 'President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree,' she added. Back in March 2023, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that some uranium at the Fordo site had been enriched to 83.7 percent purity - dangerously close to the 90 percent level necessary for nuclear bombs. Fordo is smaller than the Natanz site, which has already been targeted by Israeli strikes. There are possible complications that could arise if the US strikes Fordo, located 60 miles southwest of Tehran, with the bunker-buster bomb. As well as being some 260 feet under rock and soil, the site is reportedly protected by Iranian and Russian surface-to-air missile systems. Those air defenses, however, are believed to have been weakened by recent Israeli attacks. Additionally, any US strike carries significant political and diplomatic risks for Trump, who has long warned against entangling the US in overseas conflicts. For example, Russia has warned that US involvement could 'radically destabilize the Middle East.'
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
How bunker buster bombs could pulverize Iran's Fordow nuclear site: The science behind these deep-Earth destroyers
Israel has still not been able to destroy Iran's heavily protected Fordow nuclear facility, which is located two hours from Tehran, and now military analysts suggest that a specialised US weapon might be the only way to eliminate the site, as per a report. According to Fox News, many military analysts have pointed out that a two-ton precision bunker buster, which is developed by and in sole possession of the United States, can be the only way to destroy the Fordow site, which some claim may be capable of producing a nuclear warhead in just two to three days. What are Bunker Busters? Director of Foreign Policy for JINSA, Jonathan Ruhe, explained that bunker busters are designed to use gravity to "penetrate through any mixture of earth, rock, and concrete before the bomb itself then explodes" underground, quoted Fox News. The explosion can either destroy the target or "collapse the structure" around the target, as per the report by Fox News. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo According to Fox News, the bunker busters are available in different weight classes, Israel has 2,000- and 5,000-pound varieties, but only the United States possesses the 30,000-pound GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP). ALSO READ: Peter Schiff sounds alarm: America faces economic doom as Fed powerless against hyperinflation threat Live Events Why Is Fordow So Hard to Destroy? According to Ruhe, the MOP, which was developed under former US president George W. Bush, was "designed specifically" for sites like Fordow, where nuclear facilities are hidden deep underground, as reported by Fox News. The depth of Fordow is a key factor in deciding the number of munitions required to target the facility, as per the report. While the Foundation for Defense of Democracies estimates the facility is 60 to 90 meters (196 to 295 feet) underground, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi told The Financial Times that it reaches 800 meters, Fox News reported. Ruhe speculated Grossi "may have been trying to message, 'hey, military action is not the solution here,'" as quoted in the report. How Would the US Use the MOP? Given Fordow's depth and the rocky terrain, the United States would likely use a "burrowing" technique, according to the report. Ruhe explained that this involves a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber would "drop several MOPs in succession, one after the other," quoted Fox News. The MOP reportedly has a penetration depth of 200 feet, as per Fox News. However, Fordow is not an easy target, as pilots have to take into account the facility's multiple narrow exit tunnels and achieve the right angle of impact to penetrate the ground, according to the report. FAQs Why hasn't Israel struck Fordow yet? Because it's buried so deep inside that even Israel's strongest bombs can't reach it effectively. What kind of bomb can hit Fordow? Only the US possesses the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator , a 30,000-pound bunker buster, as per the report.
Fox News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
How bunker buster bombs work and how they could destroy Iran's Fordow nuclear site
As Israel's battle to take out Iran's nuclear capabilities continues, Iran's most heavily-protected nuclear facility at Fordow, two hours from Tehran, remains intact. Many military analysts believe that a two-ton precision bunker buster developed by and in sole possession of the U.S. is the only means of eliminating the Fordow site, which some claim may be capable of producing a nuclear warhead in as little as two to three days. Jonathan Ruhe, Director of Foreign Policy for JINSA, spoke with Fox News Digital about bunker-busters, and how Israel or the U.S. might use them to eliminate the Fordow nuclear threat. Ruhe said bunker busters are munitions designed to use the force of gravity to "penetrate through any mixture of earth, rock, and concrete before the bomb itself then explodes" underground. The explosion may either take out the target fully, or "collapse the structure" around the target "without necessarily obliterating it," he explained. Bunker busters come in multiple weight classes. Israel possesses 2,000- and 5,000-pound varieties. Only the U.S. possesses the 30,000-pound GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP). Developed under President George W. Bush, Ruhe says the MOP was "designed specifically" for targets like Fordow, where nuclear sites or command and control bunkers are hidden far underground. Ruhe said that the number of munitions required to target Fordow depends on the depth of the facility. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies states that Fordow's facility is between 60 and 90 meters (196 to 295 feet) below ground. The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi told The Financial Times last week that the facility reaches 800 meters underground. Ruhe said Grossi, who has been to the Fordow facility, may have been "trying to message, 'hey, military action is not the solution here.'" The MOP is said to have a penetration depth of 200 feet. Ruhe said that given Fordow's distance underground and the difficulty of penetrating the rocky mountainside the site is dug into, the U.S. would likely use a technique called burrowing, in which a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber would "drop several MOPs in succession, one after the other." Fordow poses a unique target. Ruhe said that pilots have to take into account the facility's multiple, narrow exit tunnels, and achieve the right angle of impact to penetrate the ground. Though Israeli air dominance over Iran has eliminated the need for stealth air assets, Ruhe believes the stealth B-2 would be the only tool adequate for delivering the MOPs. Ruhe said timing constraints make the use of B-52 bombers "not relevant." Additionally, Ruhe explained that talk of loaning B-2 bombers to the Israeli Air Force is "a dangerous distraction." Not only is there "0.0% chance" that the U.S. would give out this strategic capability, but Ruhe says training Israeli pilots to fly the B-2 would take several months. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that "destroying [Fordow] from the air is a job only the U.S. can do." Given that Israel is "very tactically inventive" and "very good at maximizing the capabilities they do have," Ruhe says that Israel could achieve its goals at Fordow without the MOP. Not only did Ruhe offer the unlikely but not impossible scenario where Israel might "storm the site in a commando raid," but he said that Israel could use F-15s, escorted by F-35s, to deliver multiple 5,000-pound bunker busters over Fordow, utilizing the same burrowing tactic the U.S. would likely employ. Such a strike, he admitted, would "achieve a more limited definition of success" than the MOP could. The U.S. and Israel are likely to have different goals in targeting Fordow, Ruhe said. "Americans tend to think of obliterating targets," Ruhe said, whereas Israel would "probably be fine with saying they knocked back the operations there by a year or so." Ruhe estimates that the bunker busters may not completely destroy the facility, but that it may be considered a success if it were to knock out the power source to Iranian centrifuges, or making "the air too polluted" for centrifuges to operate. Israel has "successfully knocked out the other parts of Iran's fuel cycle" in Natanz and Isfahan, Ruhe said. "If you want to prevent a nuclear Iran, Fordow is a big part of that," Ruhe said. "But it's only just a part of what still needs to be done and thought about." Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this article.
