US Bombs Nuclear Sites in Iran: Israel and IDF Coordination (Fordow Hit)
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
President Donald Trump of America ordered the armed forces of America to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Of significance, the fortified Fordow nuclear site was hit by bunker-busters. At the same time, America, in coordination with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Air Force (IAF), attacked the nuclear facilities of Natanz and Isfahan.
The Times of Israel reports, “The decision to directly involve the US in the war came after more than a week of strikes by Israel that damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities, eradicated the country’s air defenses, and took out many of its military brass and top nuclear scientists. Iran, in retaliation, has launched dozens of ballistic missile barrages at Israel.”
Trump commented, “A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow.”
Trump continued, “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.”
Israel had softened up the defense systems of Iran before America took action. Hence, the initial Israeli airstrikes against Iranian military infrastructure indicate a heightened operational capability of the IAF to project power deep into Iranian territory, including Tehran. The degradation of Iran’s air defense systems in these early phases not only reduces the immediate threat to Israeli aircraft but also enhances the strategic freedom of action for follow-on strikes. This creates a more permissive environment for the IAF to target critical facilities with increased precision and reduced risk.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said the IDF launched its war against the Iranian regime “to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.”
Trump further said, “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated.”
The BBC reports, “Due to Fordo’s depth below ground only the US has the kind of ‘bunker buster’ bomb big enough to destroy the site. That US bomb is called the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP).”
The BBC continued, “It weighs 13,000kg (30,000lb) and is able to penetrate about 18m (60ft) of concrete or 61m (200ft) of earth before exploding, according to experts.”
Abbas Araghchi (Iran’s Foreign Minister) warned that the attack on Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz will have “everlasting consequences.”
Trump cautioned Iran against retaliating by targeting American bases in the Gulf region (West Asia). While Iran has the capability to launch missiles and drones at Israel, its strategic options remain limited. Moreover, should Iran escalate too far, both Israel and the United States are likely to respond forcefully, further weakening Iran’s military capabilities.
Trump said, “There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days… Remember, there are many targets left. Tonight’s was the most difficult of them all by far, and perhaps the most lethal. But if peace does not come quickly, we will go after those other targets with precision, speed and skill.”
The IDF is targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities, air defense systems, military command centers, ballistic missiles, and is assassinating Iranian military elites and nuclear scientists. Hence, the psychological war unleashed by Israel is enormous.
The world is waiting to see the response of Iran and if Israel will continue to devastate the military capability of Iran – along with more targeted assassinations.
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