President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that the United States carried out direct airstrikes on three major nuclear sites in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—claiming the operation was a “spectacular military success” that “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities.
“Everybody heard those names for years as they built this horrible, destructive enterprise,” Trump said during a Saturday night address. “Our objective was the destruction of Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility.”
Iranian state media later acknowledged that part of the Fordow site had been attacked, referring to the damage as the result of “enemy strikes.”
What Was Hit—And Why Fordow Mattered Most
The Fordow facility, a highly fortified site buried deep under a mountain and protected by layers of air defense, has long been seen as one of Iran’s most secure nuclear locations. After the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported that uranium had been enriched there to 83.7%—dangerously close to the 90% weapons-grade level—pressure grew for action.
Trump’s decision to directly involve the U.S. came after more than a week of Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military infrastructure, including nuclear and missile targets. While Israel began the operation, Washington’s entry into the campaign marked a dramatic escalation.
The Weapon Behind the Strike: GBU-57 “Bunker Buster”
The main weapon used to strike Fordow was the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, a 30,000-pound conventional bomb that’s designed to crush fortified underground targets. It’s so large and heavy that it can only be delivered by the U.S. Air Force’s B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, which had been quietly deployed to Guam days earlier.
The B-2 bomber, known for its ability to avoid radar detection, can carry two of these massive bombs at a time. President Trump confirmed that six bunker buster bombs were dropped on Fordow.
“Worked Like a ”Team”—U.S. and Israel Coordinate Closely
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the strikes and Trump’s leadership, saying in a video message that the “awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history.”
“America has done what no other country on Earth could do,” Netanyahu said.
In return, Trump thanked Netanyahu, adding that the two leaders had “worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before,” and claimed they had made major progress in “erasing this horrible threat to Israel.”
A Closer Look at the Fordow Strike: Not Easy to Pull Off
Military experts have long said that destroying Fordow is no simple task. Justin Bronk, a senior analyst at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), explained that a successful attack would require “multiple impacts” on the same spot.
“The second bomb has to affect inside the hole made by the first,” he said. He added that to ensure success, more than one B-2 bomber would likely have been involved.
Even with pinpoint accuracy, these kinds of underground strikes carry huge risk. “An attack would require redundancy since the weapons have to function and be delivered perfectly,” Bronk noted.
Strikes Beyond Fordow: Natanz and Isfahan Also Targeted
Trump told Fox News that in addition to the Fordow bombings, the U.S. also fired 30 Tomahawk missiles at other nuclear sites, including Natanz and Isfahan.
Natanz had already been targeted by Israeli forces earlier in the campaign. It’s believed to house multiple underground levels, which raised questions about whether conventional strikes could do significant damage.
Some U.S. defense officials had previously warned that even with multiple GBU-57 bombs, it may not be possible to completely destroy Fordow or Natanz—but it could collapse the tunnels and bury much of the infrastructure under rubble, effectively crippling operations.
Trump’s Final Decision: Only Strike If It Works
Before authorizing the operation, Trump reportedly told officials he would support a strike only if the bunker buster bombs could “guarantee” destruction of the Fordow site. He was concerned about launching an operation that wouldn’t fully neutralize the threat.
Despite doubts from some military advisors about how much damage conventional bombs could do, the mission went ahead—and Trump is now calling it a “game-changing moment” in the Middle East.
While Iran has yet to fully respond, the direct involvement of the U.S.—especially with such powerful weapons—signals a turning point. Whether this halts Iran’s nuclear ambitions or escalates the conflict further remains to be seen.
