1 / 8What is a bunker-buster bomb? | Bunker busters, or Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs), are precision-guided bombs engineered to penetrate earth, rock, and reinforced concrete before detonating deep underground. Using kinetic energy, dense steel casings, and delayed fuses, they can blast through dozens of feet of concrete or hundreds of feet of soil. These weapons are specifically designed to target heavily fortified and deeply buried structures like bunkers, tunnels, and nuclear facilities—sites typically out of reach for conventional bombs. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
2 / 8Israel-Iran Conflict | Within just a week, Israeli strikes have eliminated several Iranian military commanders and hit multiple surface-level facilities. However, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), there has been no reported damage to the Fordow uranium enrichment plant—located deep underground south of Tehran—well beyond the reach of Israel’s current bombing capabilities. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
3 / 8Israel’s Bombing Capabilities | Israel uses the BLU-109 bomb, a 900 kg precision-guided munition carried by F-35 jets, capable of penetrating 1.8 to 2.4 metres of reinforced concrete. This bomb was reportedly used in the 2024 assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was targeted in an underground shelter in Beirut—a mission that required multiple strikes. Israel also possesses an undisclosed number of GBU-28 bunker busters, heavier 2,250 kg bombs carried by F-15 aircraft, capable of penetrating 5 to 6 metres. However, even these may not be sufficient to destroy Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facilities. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
4 / 8Why Bunker Busters Matter Now | Iran’s heavily fortified nuclear sites are beyond the reach of most conventional weapons, but bunker busters may be an exception. If the United States enters the escalating Israel-Iran conflict, a key goal would be to target Iran’s underground uranium enrichment facilities. President Donald Trump could authorise the use of the GBU-57A/B, the most advanced Massive Ordnance Penetrator in the US arsenal, with over 10 times the explosive power of the BLU-109, and one of the few weapons capable of striking Iran’s deeply buried sites. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 8GBU-57A/B: America’s Ultimate Bunker Buster | The GBU-57A/B is the world’s largest precision-guided bomb, weighing 13,600 kg. Fitted with GPS guidance, retractable fins, and a laser sensor, it can penetrate up to 200 feet underground and delivers over 2,260 kg of explosives. Measuring 6.6 metres and made from high-performance steel alloy, it is exclusively deployed by the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. Built by Boeing, the MOP is widely regarded as the only weapon capable of seriously damaging Iran’s most fortified nuclear site at Fordow. (Image: AP)
6 / 8How Bunker Busters Work | Dropped from high altitude by a B-2 stealth bomber, bunker busters gain immense kinetic energy during free fall. Acting like a giant steel nail, they pierce through rock or concrete, with an internal fuse detonating the warhead once the desired depth is reached. (Image: Reuters)
7 / 8Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Facility | Operational since 2009, the Fordow facility is located near Qom, about 95 km southwest of Tehran. Shielded by layers of rock, reinforced concrete, and Iranian–Russian air defences, it sits buried beneath a mountain at an estimated depth of 60 to 90 metres. Many experts agree that only the US MOP could potentially damage Fordow. While the MOP gives the US the technical means to target Iran’s most fortified nuclear sites, deploying it would mark a major military and diplomatic escalation. The question, therefore, is not whether bunker busters can destroy Fordow — but whether the US is willing to use them. (Image: AP)
8 / 8Other Weapons the US May Deploy | The USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier hosts around 3,000 sailors, with an additional 2,000 in its air wing. Its air fleet includes F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets, EA-18G Growlers for radar and communications jamming, E-2D Hawkeyes with advanced radar for early threat detection, Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, and Sea Hawk helicopters. Supporting the carrier are the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton and multiple guided-missile destroyers. Additionally, three Aegis-equipped destroyers—USS Arleigh Burke, USS The Sullivans, and USS Thomas Hudner—along with THAAD missile interceptors, form a powerful and layered defence and strike force. (Image: Reuters)
