All about Iran's Fordo nuclear facility, which Israel hasn't been able to attack

According to the United Nations nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran’s largest number of its most powerful centrifuges are at Fordo.

Israel launched its ‘Operation Rising Lion’ against Iran last Friday to cripple the country’s nuclear program which, according to Israel, poses an existential threat to it. During their surprise attacks on Friday, Israel hit several nuclear and military sites across Iran, including the one in Natanz, a key uranium-enrichment site in Iran. However, one site which it still has not been able to target but aims to do so is the Fordo nuclear site in Iran.

While Natanz has suffered 'significant damage' in Israeli strikes, Iran's second nuclear enrichment site Fordow remains intact. (Reuters)

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Buried deep under a mountain in Fordo is a nuclear site where Iran is enriching uranium to 60%, which is just a step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%, reported Associated Press. The site is around 100 kilometers southwest of Iranian capital Tehran.

According to the United Nations nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran’s largest number of its most powerful centrifuges are at Fordo, the report added.

Fordo is a highly secretive and heavily guarded facility first made public in 2009. It is built close to Qom, a holy city in Iran, and the true magnitude and what goes inside the facility is still a matter of speculation, reported CNN. However, there are some details revealed by Iranian documents that Israeli intelligence stole years ago.

The facility is buried deep inside the mountain, with its main hall located some 80 to 90 meters under the ground. This protects the facility from any aerial bomb that Israel has.

While Israel has been trying to target the facility, since explosions were heard around it on the first day of Israeli strikes on Iran, it has not been able to do much damage to the facility, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Israel needs US’ help to attack Fordo

Since it does not possess the kind of bomb to damage the underground nuclear facility at Fordo, Israel may need its long-time ally United States’ help. The US has developed a massive bomb, GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which can only be dropped using a large aircraft, the B-2 stealth bombers, which Israel does not have, reported AP.

The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator is a 30,000-pound (14,000-kilogram) heavy bomb with the ability to attack deeply buried and hardened bunkers and tunnels. The warhead case is made from a special high performance steel alloy and its design allows for a large explosive payload while maintaining the integrity of the penetrator case during impact.

The B-2 Spirit is the only aircraft in the Air Force programmed to employ the Massive Ordnance Penetrator.

However, doing this would mean the United States would get involved in the conflict militarily, which the US has not done so far. It has only maintained defensive positions to protect its personnel in the Middle East and intercept some missiles coming Israel’s way.