Iran’s ‘Secretive’ Nuclear Site and the Bomb That Could Destroy It
- Hidden in Iran’s mountains, Fordo is the nuclear site even Israeli weapons can’t reach, amid claims that it poses a grave threat
- Reports circulating on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, claimed that only the US possesses the weaponry capable of destroying Iran’s most fortified nuclear facility
- The US bomb, commonly known as a “bunker buster,” is designed to destroy deep underground bunkers, or well-buried weapons in highly protected facilities
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
The Fordo nuclear facility, which is hidden away in a mountainside south of Tehran, is an enrichment plant that is vital to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and this explains why Israel is attempting to destroy it.
Source: UGC
Fordo, Iran's underground nuclear site
Israel may have achieved dominance over Iran’s skies, but the Fordo nuclear facility, believed to be deeper underground than the Channel Tunnel connecting the UK and France, has remained out of reach of Israel’s weaponry.
Only the United States is considered to have a bomb that might be large enough to destroy Fordo, a move that could dramatically widen a Middle East war.
This article takes a closer look at the secretive site, which Iran claims is solely for civilian purposes, but which Israel argues poses a threat to its survival, according to a BBC report.
What is the Fordo enrichment site?
Situated about 60 miles (96km) south of the capital Tehran, the uranium enrichment site at Fordo is located in a mountainous region close to the city of Qom.
Fordo is built deep within northern Iran’s rugged, remote mountains and designed to withstand air strikes as its underground location shields it from conventional bombs.
The underground facility reportedly consists of two main tunnels that house centrifuges used to enrich uranium, as well as a network of smaller tunnels.
The complex at Fordo was originally a network of tunnels used by Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The country only acknowledged the existence of the enrichment plant in 2009, after it was exposed by Western intelligence agencies.
Source: UGC
Is Fordo indestructible?
The Fordo plant presents a unique challenge to the Israeli military because of the depth of its underground facilities.
To inflict any meaningful damage on the site, it would require a 'bunker buster' munition capable of penetrating deep beneath the surface.
Israel is thought to have such weapons, but they can only operate to a depth of less than 10m (33ft).
US bomb that can destroy Iran’s Fordo
The US, however, does have a bomb that might be able to do the job: the 13,000kg (30,000lb) GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP).
The MOP’s heavy casing and weight allow it to penetrate about 18m of concrete or 61m of earth before exploding, according to analysts at Janes, a defence intelligence company.
Legit.ng reported that experts are discussing the potential use of the US’s MOP bomb, which can destroy Iran's deeply buried nuclear sites like Fordo.
Despite the ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Iran, the US has not yet committed to deploying the MOP, though its involvement could escalate the conflict further due to the bomb's size and power.
Read more about Iran vs Israel conflict
Trump hints at US strike on Iran
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, discussed the possibility of a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities as tensions escalate between Iran and Israel.
Speaking to reporters outside the White House, Trump gave a cryptic response about his intentions, noting that “I may do it, I may not do it”.
Trump stressed that Iran was in serious trouble and appeared willing to negotiate, but lamented that it's too late for such a move.
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Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
