Why Israel wants U.S. 'bunker busters' for strikes on Iran's nuclear sites

• The U.S. possesses the GBU-57 "bunker-buster" bomb, a 30,000-pound weapon deliverable only by B-2 stealth bombers, designed for deeply buried targets.
• President Trump has declined to comment on potential U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, stating that the situation has changed significantly.

While Israel and Iran continue to trade missiles in an escalating air conflict, President Donald Trump and his administration are weighing possible U.S. involvement, which could include joining Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear sites.

Trump declined to answer reporters' questions on whether the U.S. was planning to strike Iran or its nuclear facilities, and said the Iranians had reached out, but he feels "it's very late to be talking."

"There's a big difference between now and a week ago," Trump told reporters outside the White House. "Nobody knows what I'm going to do."

Israel has its sights trained on taking out Iran's nuclear facilities, a feat it wants the U.S. military to help with, according to USA TODAY reporting. Iran's Fordo nuclear facility – central to its uranium enrichment efforts – is buried around 300 feet underground, unreachable to non-penetrating bombs.

Israel's penetrating weapons cannot reach these underground facilities, a U.S. official not authorized to speak publicly told USA TODAY, as they require 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs, or "bunker-busters." Only U.S.-made B-2 warplanes are equipped to carry the bombs.

Here's what to know about this “bunker buster” bomb, the GBU-57.

What is the Massive Ordnance Penetrator?

The Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is a weapon system designed to destroy weapons of mass destruction located in well-protected facilities, according to the U.S. Air Force. It can only be delivered by the U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.

How deep can a 'bunker buster' bomb go?

The Guided Bomb Unit (GBU) 57, also called the "bunker buster," is a large, GPS-guided, penetrating weapon designed to attack deeply buried targets such as bunkers and tunnels, according to the Department of Defense's office for weapons tests and evaluations. It weighs 30,000 pounds, and while previous reports suggest it can penetrate 200 feet into the ground, there have been a number of updates to the bomb over the past several years, including a $21 million update contract in 2019, that could have increased its reach and other capabilities.

Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman and Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY; Reuters.

Kathryn Palmer is a national trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at[email protected] and on X @KathrynPlmr.