B-2 bomber could lead US assault on Iran’s Fordow nuclear site hidden inside a mountain

The United States is reportedly preparing military options for a potential strike on Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear facility, as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

CBS News, citing US officials, reports that President Donald Trump has approved contingency plans for a strike on the Fordow enrichment site but has not yet authorised action.

Fordow, buried deep within a mountain near the Iranian city of Qom, is considered the most secure part of Iran’s nuclear program.

United Nations inspectors who toured the site have described reinforced tunnels, blast-proof doors, and underground bunkers shielded by more than 100 metres of rock.

The facility is believed to be central to Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities, which Western governments fear could be used to develop nuclear weapons.

If the US chooses to target Fordow, the operation would likely involve the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the only aircraft capable of delivering the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP). Weighing over 13,000 kilograms, the MOP is the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, capable of punching through up to 60 metres of reinforced concrete or rock. Multiple strikes can increase that depth.

Fordow's extreme fortification means few militaries besides the US have the capability to destroy it. Israeli warplanes, for instance, lack both the delivery systems and the payload required for such a strike, increasing the likelihood of direct American involvement if military action is pursued.

A decision to strike would risk widening the already volatile conflict between Israel and Iran and could draw the US into another major confrontation in the region. For now, military planners await a final go-ahead.