President Trump hesitated to authorize a strike on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site, citing doubts over whether the 30,000‑lb GBU‑57 bunker‑buster bomb could destroy the deeply buried facility—raising concerns among military officials and allies over U.S. strategy.
At a Glance
- Trump delayed approval of a strike on Iran’s Fordow site pending assurance that the GBU‑57 could breach it
- Fordow is buried approximately 300 feet inside a mountain
- Military experts warned only a tactical nuclear weapon might fully neutralize the site
- Trump hopes threatening use of the bomb will force Iran back to negotiations
- Global leaders, including Russia, have warned that a strike could trigger nuclear escalation
Why the Delay Matters
According to The Guardian, the Fordow enrichment facility is located about 300 feet deep inside a mountain, raising serious doubts that even the U.S.’s Massive Ordnance Penetrator could destroy it. Officials briefed President Trump that such a strike might at best temporarily delay Iran’s nuclear program, and some warned that only a tactical nuclear weapon could fully achieve the mission—a step Trump is unwilling to take.
Tactical Threat or Diplomatic Leverage?
Defense officials say Trump is using the threat of a potential strike to pressure Iran into negotiations. As The Washington Post reports, Trump hopes to leverage the uncertainty surrounding U.S. capabilities to create diplomatic momentum, believing that Tehran may be forced back to the table to avoid military confrontation.
A Global Powder Keg
The White House’s caution has done little to calm global fears. Time reports that Russia warned the world is “millimeters” from nuclear catastrophe if the U.S. moves forward with an attack on Fordow. Domestically, some of Trump’s own allies have voiced concern, arguing that a strike would risk entangling the U.S. in another costly Middle East war.
The next U.S. decision could shape not only the course of the current Iran-Israel conflict, but also the future of American military strategy—whether to rely on massive weapons as leverage or pivot to renewed diplomacy.
