Great Salt Desert bunker could be trigger for an attack on Iran

The build-up of centrifuges in Fordow is the timeline “most relevant to military action,” said Mark Fitzpatrick, director of non-proliferation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. But is the plant really invulnerable? The heaviest bunker-busting bomb in the US arsenal is the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, weighing 14 tons, and capable of breaking through at least 60 metres of reinforced concrete.

Even Fordow may not be immune to a device this size. Only the B2 and B52 bombers flown by the US Air Force can drop this bomb. The heaviest bunker-buster available to the Israeli Air Force, by contrast, is the GBU-28, which is a third of the size. So Israel may not be able to disable Fordow, but the US probably could.

The process of reinforcing and hardening the plant is not yet complete, say officials, adding that an air strike could still be effective. But the window will eventually close, creating another timeline vital to any decision over military action.

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