Media: Israel Could Attack Fordow Nuclear Site Within 72 Hours

• 20.06.2025, 12:02

Joint action with the US remains the most likely scenario.

If the US does not destroy the Fordow nuclear facility in Iran, "Israel could attack it alone within the next 72 hours."

Two Israeli security sources told the Iran International news site affiliated with the Iranian opposition on June 20.

The sources stressed that the most likely scenario remains joint action with the US within the next 48 to 72 hours. The attack could begin as early as tonight.

They said Israel hopes the US will destroy the facility using its superior weapons capabilities. "The only way to force Iran to make concessions and bring it back to the negotiating table is through US action," said one Israeli intelligence source. - We need Trump to do it in the next two or three days."

The sources added that Israel could attack alone if necessary, using the military superiority it has achieved. However, airspace openness in Iran is limited and cannot continue indefinitely, so action must be taken quickly to avoid missing an opportunity.

Considering the limited capabilities of Israeli bombers compared to the US Air Force, an attack on Fordow would be much more difficult for Israel. "Israel does not have the capabilities of B-52s to drop 14-ton bombs capable of penetrating the heart of Iran's nuclear facilities," the security source said. He said Israeli F-15 fighter jets can fly with a payload of about 400 kilograms at a distance of about 2,000 kilometers, making the operation much more complicated and time-consuming.

In the meantime, according to the Axios website, the US is considering striking Iran's Fordow nuclear complex with one of the world's most powerful non-nuclear bombs, the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP).

In 2015, the U.S. Air Force said the MOP is "designed for the challenging mission of destroying weapons of mass destruction deployed in well-defended facilities." It is also referred to as a "bunker destroyer."