The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Tuesday confirmed that it has finalized a military plan to strike Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear site, awaiting only a political directive to proceed.
IDF Ready to Strike Fordow Nuclear Site
Until now, Israeli defense officials have remained cautious and non-committal when asked about potential strikes on Fordow, often deflecting questions or offering vague responses. Notably, the IDF denied recent false reports claiming that it had already attacked the site over the weekend.
The IDF, in a marked shift, publicly acknowledged the existence of an operational plan targeting Fordow, a nuclear site widely regarded as the most strategically significant yet untargeted installation in Iran’s nuclear arsenal.
Fordow Nuclear Site Loacated Beneath a Mountain, Isreal Need BBMs
Fordow is located deep beneath a mountain near the village of Fordow, more than 30 kilometers from Qom and approximately 160 kilometers from Tehran. This fortified site poses significant operational challenges due to its location and construction.
Without access to the massive 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs held by the United States, Israel lacks the conventional firepower typically required to penetrate such depths. As a result, Israeli leaders have long attempted to persuade Washington to carry out a strike on Fordow.
Despite this limitation, Israeli Air Force officials maintain that they can still cause significant damage to the facility. Their plan reportedly involves repeated strikes using 5,000-pound and 2,000-pound bombs dropped on the same precise coordinates, potentially triggering a collapse or rendering key sections inoperable.
Why is Fordow Nuclear Site Important for Both Iran and Israel?
The Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant is one of the most secretive and heavily protected components of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Initially constructed in the early 2000s under the covert “Amad Plan,” which aimed to develop nuclear weapons, the facility was built on what was once a missile base operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The existence of Fordow remained undisclosed for years until 2009, when Western intelligence exposed the plant, prompting Iran to acknowledge it publicly to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The disclosure sparked widespread international concern about the true intentions behind Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Can Israel Attack Fordow Nuclear Site?
Fordow’s defining defensive characteristic is its extreme depth, between 80 and 300 feet underground, making it largely immune to standard aerial munitions. Initially designed to house roughly 3,000 IR-1 centrifuges in two distinct halls, the facility has since been upgraded with advanced protection.
Surface-to-air missile systems, including Russia’s formidable S-300 platform, provide an additional layer of defense. The plant has been structurally reinforced to withstand prolonged bombardment, further complicating any potential Israeli strike.
