B-2s in motion, Fordow on alert: Israel debates next steps as Trump weighs US strike
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian
The fate of the war remains unclear for Israel. Either the United States intervenes directly and strikes Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant—allowing Tel Aviv to end the war within a week—or the confrontation drags on, as Israel's army chief Eyal Zamir declared, until Israel fully dismantles Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Amid this uncertainty, news of at least three B-2 bombers taking off from Whiteman Air Force Base, accompanied by refueling aircraft, has become a leading story in Tel Aviv. These bombers are capable of carrying massive bombs that could penetrate the Fordow facility.
The key question now: Are they heading toward the region, or is this a training mission?
In either case, multiple military and intelligence officials have confirmed that the Israeli air force cannot independently carry out a strike on what Israelis call Iran's 'holy grail'—the Fordow site—regardless of the tactics or types of bombs used.
Several proposals to destroy the facility have been floated—some considered unrealistic. One scenario involves digging a deep tunnel beneath the site and dropping multiple bombs there, a process estimated to take at least 10 hours, given the area's heavy protection by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
With these scenarios in play, Israel now awaits a decision from U.S. President Donald Trump—and the fate of the B-2 bombers—to determine whether the Fordow strike is imminent or will occur within the two-week deadline Trump set, a period expected to bring serious escalation and devastating consequences for both Tehran and Tel Aviv.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
LBCI
7 hours ago
- LBCI
Israel's army says striking Iran's Bandar Abbas
The Israeli military Saturday said it launched a fresh wave of strikes on Saturday in the area of southern Iran's Bandar Abbas, targeting drone storage sites and a weapons facility. Israeli forces are "currently striking UAV storage facilities and a weapons facility in southwestern Iran in the area of Bandar Abbas," a military statement said. AFP
LBCI
7 hours ago
- LBCI
Blasts heard in Tehran's center, north: AFP
Loud blasts were heard Saturday in the Iranian capital, AFP journalists said, as fighting raged between the two foes for the ninth day. It was not immediately clear whether the blasts heard in central and northern Tehran were the result of incoming Israeli strikes or Iranian air defense fire. AFP
LBCI
7 hours ago
- LBCI
Iran threatens to strike military aid shipments to Israel
Iran's armed forces threatened on Saturday to strike shipments of military aid to Israel during the ongoing fighting between the two foes. "We warn that sending any military or radar equipment by boat or aircraft from any country to assist the Zionist regime will be considered participation in the aggression against Iran and will be a legitimate target for the armed forces," a spokesman said in a video statement broadcast on state TV. AFP
