Latest news with #MOPs
Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Trump warns US will attack Iran nuclear facilities again ‘if necessary'
US President Donald Trump on Monday (July 22) asserted that the American bombing had severely damaged Iran's key nuclear facilities, warning that Washington would attack again 'if necessary.' Trump's remarks came after Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, acknowledged the impact of the US strike, stating that the damage to his country's nuclear infrastructure was 'serious and severe'. However, he vowed that Iran would not give up on its nuclear enrichment program as it was now a 'question of national pride.' 'It is stopped because, yes, damages are serious and severe. But obviously we cannot give up of enrichment because it is an achievement of our own scientists. And now, more than that, it is a question of national pride,' Araghchi told Fox News. 'Our enrichment is so dear to us.' Taking to his Truth Social handle, the US president said, 'Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, on the Iran Nuclear Sites: 'Damages are very severe, they are destroyed.' Of course they are, just like I said, and we will do it again, if necessary!' Nuclear facilities 'seriously damaged': Araghchi Iran's foreign minister, in an interview with Fox News, admitted that the extent of the damage to his country's nuclear facilities was severe but refused to comment on whether any enriched uranium survived the strikes. 'Our facilities have been damaged – seriously damaged,' Araghchi said. 'The extent of which is now under evaluation by our atomic energy organisation.' 'But as far as I know, they are seriously damaged,' he added. Araghchi has previously reiterated Iran's position that it would not accept any nuclear agreement that blocks its right to enrich uranium. The United States, on June 22, joined Israel's offensive against Iran and launched operation 'Midnight Hammer' to target three nuclear facilities of Iran, namely Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, and the operation involved 125 US military aircraft, including seven B-2 Stealth bombers. About two dozen cruise missiles were also launched at the Isfahan nuclear site from a submarine by the US military. One of the major strikes by the United States was on Fordow nuclear enrichment facility, buried deep below a mountain outside Tehran, and is considered vital to Iran's nuclear ambitions. At least 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) were dropped at the Fordow site. After the strikes, Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the United States and Qatar, and the 12-day conflict between the two warring nations came to a pause on June 24. (With inputs from agencies)
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US hits 3 Iranian nuclear sites, Trump says, plunging America into conflict
The United States struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Saturday, plunging the U.S. into a pitched battle that has been waged over the past several days between Israel and Iran. The full ramifications of the U.S. action, announced by President Donald Trump as "very successful" were not clear. Trump and his closest advisers had been weighing for days how to proceed, debating the costs of involvement and inaction. Democrats and some Republicans had already criticized the strike just minutes after it was announced. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters at the Pentagon on Sunday morning that the attack "devastated" and "obliterated" the Iranian nuclear program, describing the operation -- named "Midnight Hammer" -- as "bold and brilliant." He added of Trump, "When this president speaks, the world should listen." Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Dan Caine also took part in the briefing, telling reporters that the seven B-2 bombers involved conducted the longest flight involving the B-2 fleet since 2001, refueling multiple times in-flight and linking up with escort fighter aircraft on their way east. The bombers took off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, crossing the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea to reach the Middle East. A total of 14 "bunker-buster" bombs known as MOPs -- Massive Ordnance Penetrators -- were dropped on the three sites at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, with the first two munitions dropped at 2 a.m., Caine said. The attack also involved a U.S. submarine that launched more than two dozen Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles at what Caine called "key surface infrastructure targets" at Isfahan. Iran did not deploy fighters or surface-to-air missiles during the mission, Caine said. "Throughout the mission, we maintained the element of surprise," Caine said. 'We are currently unaware of any shots fired at the U.S. strike package on the way in," he added. The chairman said the operation included deception and suppression tactics to ensure the safety of the U.S. aircraft. This included the use of decoys, "high speed suppression weapons" and "preemptive suppressing fires," he said. More than 125 aircraft participated in the mission. Caine said of extent of the damage caused by the U.S. strike, 'I know that battle damage is of great interest. Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction." The 30,000-pound MOPs had never before been used in combat, but were expected to be able to tunnel 200 feet into the ground before exploding, a U.S. official said. The MOPs had been tested and were believed necessary to access underground nuclear sites like those at Fordo. Hours earlier, sources told ABC News that B-2 stealth bombers, the only planes capable of carrying the MOP "bunker-buster" bombs, were headed to Guam. Caine said Sunday that those aircraft flew west to Guam as part of the Pentagon's deception effort. According to an Israeli official, the U.S. notified Israel ahead of the strike. Sources said House Speaker Mike Johnson was also briefed ahead of time. But other sources said that the full "Gang of Eight,", including key Democrats, was not briefed until after the strikes. Some Democrats reacted harshly to the precarious military action in the volatile region, with New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calling it "ground for impeachment" and that Trump was in in "grave violation of the Constitution" by not seeking congressional authorization. MORE: Israel-Iran live updates: Trump announces attack on Iranian nuclear sites Trump first announced the strikes on Truth Social, a move that surprised many given his statement on Friday that there was a "substantial chance" of negotiations. "A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow," Trump posted on Truth Social. "All planes are safely on their way home." "There is not another military in the World that could have done this," he added. "NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter." Trump, who spoke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according a senior administration official, briefly addressed the nation. "Our objective was the destruction of Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity, and a stop to the nuclear threat posed by the world's number one state sponsor of terror. Tonight, I can report to the world that the strikes were a spectacular military success," Trump said in his address. The president said that Iran's key uranium enrichment sites were "completely and totally obliterated." And he warned Iran that it must now "make peace." "If they do not, future attacks will be far greater and a lot easier," Trump said. Many targets inside Iran remain, Trump said. "But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill." The Iranian Atomic Energy Organization condemned the strikes as "a heinous act in contradiction with the international law, especially the NPT." "This invasion occurred in violation of the international law, unfortunately amid indifference, and even companionship, of the IAEA," the organization added. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a post to X in the early hours of Sunday that the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites were "outrageous and will have everlasting consequences." "In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defense, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest and people," he added. Israel and Iran have been exchanging missile barrages since Israel launched a preemptive strike against Iran's nuclear program. Israeli officials said they felt Iran was getting too close to being able to produce a nuclear weapon. Israel's operation, "Rising Lion," came after Israeli officials felt that Iran had enough nuclear material for several bombs, according to the Israel Defense Forces and an Israeli official familiar with the operation. In the initial preemptive attack, Israel hit the same three sites targeted by the U.S. Several top Iranian nuclear scientists and the top general in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in the operation, according to Iran. In the wake of the Israeli strike on June 13, the two countries exchanged strikes daily, and Trump weighed whether or not to get involved. The U.S. was the only country with the plane -- the B-2 -- capable of carrying the MOP that could penetrate the mountain under which the Fordo centrifuge operation was hidden. On Friday, Trump, who has long criticized U.S. involvement in overseas wars, said in a statement read by press secretary Karoline Leavitt that there was a "substantial chance" of negotiations. Trump gave the two-week time frame hoping Iran would "come to their senses." The White House said last week they felt that Iran had all of the materials it needed for a nuclear weapon and could produce one in a "couple of weeks." In March, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard testified before Congress that Iran was not "building" a nuclear bomb. The move, which many feared would draw the U.S. into a widening conflict, came just days after Trump said that he would make a decision about hitting Iran within two weeks. The strikes sparked a range of reaction from American leaders. House Speaker Mike Johnson lauded the move. "The military operations in Iran should serve as a clear reminder to our adversaries and allies that President Trump means what he says," Johnson wrote on X. "The President gave Iran's leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement," he continued. MORE: Transcript: President Donald Trump addresses nation after US strikes on Iran Similarly, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a statement that Iran "has rejected all diplomatic pathways to peace." "The mullahs' misguided pursuit of nuclear weapons must be stopped," said Thune. "As we take action tonight to ensure a nuclear weapon remains out of reach for Iran, I stand with President Trump and pray for the American troops and personnel in harm's way." Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said, "Trump made the courageous and correct decision to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat." But Republican Thomas Massie wrote on X, "This is not Constitutional." Democrats, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, joined the chorus. "Not only is this news that I've heard this second alarming -- all of you have just heard -- but it is so grossly unconstitutional," Sanders said at an event in Oklahoma. "All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right," Sanders told the crowd at an event in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Many within Trump's own party were opposed to striking Iran and feared the consequences, including prominent MAGA podcaster and former Trump adviser Steve Bannon. MORE: MAGA star Steve Bannon plays outsized role in Trump's Iran decision: Sources House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said that Trump "misled" the country. "President Trump misled the country about his intentions, failed to seek congressional authorization for the use of military force and risks American entanglement in a potentially disastrous war in the Middle East," Jeffries said in a statement. In the wake of the action, the NYPD deployed officers to sensitive locations and Israel tightened rules for public gatherings. The Center for Internet Security, a nonpartisan think tank, in an assessment to law enforcement Friday, said, "Tehran is likely to leverage a combination of direct, proxy, and irregular/inspired forces to conduct physical, cyber, or terrorist attacks against U.S. interests both at home and abroad." The assessment said that in the wake of Israeli strikes, Iran would rely on "crude or escalatory tactics" and that the likelihood would increase with U.S. involvement. ABC News' Josh Margolin contributed to this report. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Spectator
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
Trump could bomb Iran again
President Trump has already warned Tehran that he'll be back if Iran tries to revive and advance its nuclear programme, following the strikes by B-2 stealth bombers. Judging by the comments of the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Trump may find himself with this dilemma sooner than he thinks. Iran could return to enriching uranium in 'a matter of months', according to Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA's director-general, in an interview with CBS News at the weekend. However, a number of questions need to be asked before the B-2s take off again from their Whiteman Air Force base in Missouri. Trump hopes that the combination of twelve days of Israeli air raids and the one-off attack by seven B-2s each armed with 30,000lb Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) will persuade the Tehran regime to give up any ambitions of building a bomb and focus all efforts on a long-term diplomatic deal to bring the nuclear nightmare to an end. The chances are slim. The survival of the Islamic Republic under the leadership of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei largely depends on its often-stated position which is that Iran has the right to enrich uranium and it will never give that up, however many 'western' bombs fall. The IAEA chief clearly believes that, despite serious damage to the three main nuclear sites, Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, Iran still has sufficient stocks of unharmed gas centrifuges secreted away to continue the process of enriching its stock of 400 kilos of 60-per-cent-grade uranium, potentially to reach the 90-per-cent level required for a bomb. Grossi's assessment unfavourably, for Trump that is, echoes the sombre report leaked from the Pentagon's Defence Intelligence Agency soon after the B-2 bombing of the three nuclear sites which claimed the strikes had only set back Iran's nuclear programme by a few months. There are important nuances here. There can be little doubt that the 14 MOPs dropped through ventilation shafts to reach a long way down towards the deeply buried nuclear plants caused a lot more damage than the DIA seemed to be implying. Furthermore, and crucially, the bombings did destroy (or obliterate in Trump's language) the metal conversion facility at Isfahan whose role was to transform enriched uranium gas into dense metal, a process known as metallisation, which is one of the key last stages of forging the explosive core of a bomb. CIA director John Ratcliffe reportedly told a classified congressional hearing that the destruction of the sole metal-conversion plant would put back Iran's suspected nuclear bomb programme by years. So, whether the 400 kilos of highly-enriched uranium Iran developed are buried under rubble at Isfahan or one of the other sites, or have been removed to an unknown bunker (depending on which report you believe), the destruction of the metal-conversion plant is a plus for Trump's obliteration mantra; and possibly a reason for the US president to hold back the B-2s for a second go for the moment. The other big question: what will Israel do? That's not to say he won't be tempted to launch another bombing raid if Tehran refuses to cooperate on the offered diplomatic path. Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran's deputy foreign minister, told the BBC that the US would have to rule out any further strikes if diplomatic negotiations were to be resumed. Trump isn't going to fall for that one. Trump knows that he won't face any trouble from Congress if he decides to bomb again. Attempts by the Democrats to obligate the president to seek authority from Congress before pursuing more attacks on Iran were thwarted by the Republican-majority Senate in a 53-47 vote. The other big question: what will Israel do? Mossad and the rest of the Israeli intelligence apparatus will be keeping the closest eye and ear on what Iran does next after seeing its prized nuclear facilities hammered by nearly two weeks of targeted strikes. Last week, Israel Katz, the Israeli defence minister, ordered the military to draw up an 'enforcement plan' against Iran, including maintaining air superiority over the country and taking whatever steps are necessary to prevent progress in Tehran's nuclear programme. 'Operation Rising Lion [codename for the Israel Defence Forces' twelve days of attacks] was just the preview of a new Israeli policy,' Katz wrote on X. So, Operation Rising Lion has been granted longevity. That has to mean further attacks on nuclear sites and against nuclear scientists in the future, whether Trump and the B-2s are going to be involved or not.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Time of India
After US-Iran strike, India may be developing its own massive bunker busters
In a significant strategic move, India is reportedly advancing the development of a new class of high-powered bunker-buster missiles, drawing inspiration from the recent deployment of American GBU-57/A Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) on Iran's Fordow nuclear facility. According to a report by India Today, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on an advanced conventional variant of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile. Unlike the original nuclear-capable Agni-5 with a range exceeding 5,000 km, the modified version will carry a massive 7,500-kg conventional warhead designed to target heavily fortified underground bunkers. The new missile is expected to have a reduced range of around 2,500 km but will deliver significantly greater payloads and precision. Capable of penetrating up to 80 to 100 metres below the surface before detonation, it is being developed to neutralise hardened enemy targets such as command centres, missile silos, and other critical infrastructure buried deep underground in nations like Pakistan and China. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Specialist Down Jackets for Ultralight Adventures Trek Kit India Learn More Undo India Today reported that two new versions of the Agni-5 are under development—one configured for airburst detonation against surface targets, and another specifically designed for deep-earth penetration, akin to the U.S. GBU-57. The latter is likely to feature a payload of up to eight tons, potentially making it one of the most powerful conventional warheads in the world. Unlike the U.S., which relies on large bomber aircraft to deploy its bunker-buster bombs, India is opting for a missile-based delivery system. This approach not only reduces costs but also enhances operational flexibility and survivability. Live Events The new missiles are expected to achieve hypersonic speeds ranging from Mach 8 to Mach 20, placing them on par with some of the most advanced global weapon systems, the report added. What are bunker busters? Bunker busters are specialized missiles or bombs designed to destroy deeply buried and heavily fortified targets such as underground military bunkers, command centers, missile silos, and weapons storage facilities. These weapons are built to penetrate layers of concrete, rock, and earth before detonating. The U.S. military's most powerful example is the 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which was recently used against two Iranian nuclear facilities. According to Pentagon officials, these bombs were developed over more than 15 years using intelligence gathered specifically for those sites. Made of dense steel and packed with high explosives, US bunker busters are equipped with delay fuses that control when the bomb detonates. A longer fuse allows the weapon to burrow deeper before exploding, maximizing its ability to destroy targets far below the surface. Extensive testing has gone into refining these bombs. U.S. forces conducted hundreds of trials on mock underground facilities, fine-tuning the detonation timing to ensure that the pressure blast could travel through tunnels and effectively destroy critical equipment hidden beneath the earth.
AllAfrica
29-06-2025
- Business
- AllAfrica
US builds next-generation bunker buster with China in mind
After blasting Iran's nuke bunkers with 13-ton bombs, the US is racing to build a smarter, sleeker penetrator for the next war, possibly with China. This month, The War Zone (TWZ) reported that in the wake of the US Air Force's first combat use of the 13,000-kilogram GBU-57/B massive ordnance penetrator during the June strikes on Iran's Fordow and Natanz nuclear facilities under Operation Midnight Hammer, the US Department of Defense has accelerated efforts to develop a successor: the next generation penetrator (NGP). The strikes, which involved 14 MOPs delivered exclusively by B-2 bombers, underscored both the weapon's precision and its operational limitations, particularly in light of the B-21 Raider's reduced payload capacity. A February 2024 US Air Force contracting notice outlines NGP requirements, including sub-9,900-kilogram warheads capable of precision strikes with a circular error probable of within 2.2 meters. Notably, the NGP may feature standoff capability via propulsion systems, improved void-sensing or embedded fuzing technologies, and enhanced or scalable terminal effects. The push for a successor, spurred by lessons from past MOP development and growing global interest in deeply buried facilities, targets adversaries beyond Iran, including North Korea, China, and Russia. The US Air Force aims to receive initial prototypes within two years of contract award, though a complete operational deployment timeline remains unspecified, according to the same February 2024 USAF notice. The future NGP is likely to form part of the Long Range Strike system, alongside platforms like the B-21 and the AGM-181A Long-Range Stand-Off (LRSO) missile, making it a critical asset for penetrating hardened targets. This need to address hardened targets more effectively, highlighted by possible limitations in the Iran strikes, may have prompted the US to fast-track NGP development, especially with peer adversaries like China in mind. Multiple media outlets cited a leaked US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report stating that US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities failed to destroy the core of the program and merely set it back by months. Du Wenlong noted in the South China Morning Post that Iran's Fordow site lies 80 meters underground, 30 meters deeper than the GBU-57's stated penetration capability, raising doubts as to whether the strike hit critical infrastructure. Song Zhongping said in the same article that although the US dropped 14 bombs, satellite imagery showed six craters, suggesting two bombs may have been aimed at each target, possibly to reinforce penetration. He added that while some infrastructure may have been damaged, complete elimination is implausible. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth downplayed the DIA report's findings, calling them 'preliminary,' and noting that the report itself states battle damage assessment takes weeks to complete. Hegseth said the report was not coordinated with the intelligence community and suffers from low confidence due to information gaps. These Iranian lessons could foreshadow far more complex strike dilemmas in a potential conflict with China. In a November 2024 RAND report, Nathan Beauchamp-Mustafaga and others at RAND noted that if initial US strikes on China's maritime and surface assets fail, the US may need to launch long-range conventional attacks against China's buried inland facilities. Beauchamp-Mustafaga and others wrote that command-and-control nodes and missile storage sites are essential to sustaining People's Liberation Army (PLA) operations. Satellite imagery cited by Newsweek in May 2025 shows a 1,500-acre site dubbed 'Beijing Military City' near Qinglonghu, southwest of the capital, with deep pits believed to house hardened bunkers capable of sheltering China's leadership in a nuclear war. Hans Kristensen and others wrote in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in March 2025 that China built over 320 underground missile silos between 2021 and 2025 at Yumen in Gansu, Hami in Xinjiang, and Ordos in Inner Mongolia, significantly expanding its nuclear deterrent capabilities. They stated these silos, with standardized layouts, are designed for solid-fuel DF-41 ICBMs with potential launch-on-warning capability, supported by hardened command infrastructure and possibly nearby underground storage. They also noted continued DF-5B silo construction, reinforcing survivability through dual platforms. Furthermore, Greg Weaver argued in an April 2025 Atlantic Council report that standoff capability is essential for enhancing US aircraft survivability when striking mainland China. He noted that China's advanced air defenses and long-range missiles pose serious threats to forward-deployed US aircraft, making it vital to use standoff delivery systems that launch from outside the range of Chinese defenses. Yet even with advanced penetrators and standoff options, strikes on the Chinese mainland carry severe risks. In a 2021 Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs article, Brian McLean argued that while some strategists believe China can differentiate between conventional and nuclear attacks, hitting leadership bunkers or missile forces might be mistaken for a decapitation or disarmament attempt. He warned that even conventional strikes affecting China's nuclear posture or regime stability could provoke a nuclear response, especially if China perceives its second-strike capability as compromised. As the US weighs options beyond tactical reach, the broader question of deterrence comes into play. McLean said the best way to avoid escalation may be a strategy of deterrence by denial, convincing China not to attack Taiwan in the first place. However, Chen Xi wrote in a September 2022 article for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) that deterrence by denial hinges on forward-deployed forces and regional basing, both of which are increasingly vulnerable to China's growing missile capabilities and anti-access/area denial systems. Chen cautioned that this posture could fuel perceptions of encirclement or US intent to strike first, raising escalation risks. He also pointed to practical limitations, including the difficulty of dispersing assets across allied territories, uncertain host-nation support, and ambiguous defense commitments that may weaken US credibility.
