Latest news with #JINSA
Fox News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
B-2 stealth bombers appear to be on the move hours before Trump expected at White House
Six B-2 stealth bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri appear to be en route to a U.S. Air Force base in Guam, according to flight tracking data and voice communications with air traffic control. The bombers apparently refueled after launching from Missouri, suggesting they launched without full fuel tanks due to a heavy onboard payload, which could be bunker-buster bombs. The B-2 can carry a two-ton bunker-buster bomb—something only the U.S. possesses—which experts say could be critical to targeting Iran's most heavily fortified nuclear site: Fordow. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that "destroying [Fordow] from the air is a job only the U.S. can do." According to Jonathan Ruhe, Director of Foreign Policy for JINSA, the bunker-busters are designed to use the force of gravity to "penetrate through any mixture of earth, rock, and concrete before the bomb itself then explodes" underground. The explosion that ensues could take out the target fully or "collapse the structure" around the target "without necessarily obliterating it," he explained. President Donald Trump, who has said he will make a decision on U.S. involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict, is expected to return to the White House on Saturday afternoon. The president is expected to receive intelligence briefings with the National Security Council on Saturday and Sunday as he considers possible actions against Iran. Recently, the president appeared to publicly disagree with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, stating she was "wrong" when she testified in March that there is "no evidence" Iran is building a nuclear weapon. Gabbard later responded to the apparent controversy, saying that "the dishonest media is intentionally taking my testimony out of context and spreading fake news as a way to manufacture division." "America has intelligence that Iran is at the point that it can produce a nuclear weapon within weeks to months, if they decide to finalize the assembly. President Trump has been clear that can't happen, and I agree," Gabbard added in her post on X. While the U.S. has not taken direct action in the conflict, the State Department on Friday announced sanctions on Tehran despite Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially putting distance between Jerusalem and Iran. The sanctions were imposed on eight entities and one individual "for their involvement in the procurement and shipment of proliferation-sensitive machinery from China for Iran's defense industry."
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
How bunker buster bombs could pulverize Iran's Fordow nuclear site: The science behind these deep-Earth destroyers
Israel has still not been able to destroy Iran's heavily protected Fordow nuclear facility, which is located two hours from Tehran, and now military analysts suggest that a specialised US weapon might be the only way to eliminate the site, as per a report. According to Fox News, many military analysts have pointed out that a two-ton precision bunker buster, which is developed by and in sole possession of the United States, can be the only way to destroy the Fordow site, which some claim may be capable of producing a nuclear warhead in just two to three days. What are Bunker Busters? Director of Foreign Policy for JINSA, Jonathan Ruhe, explained that bunker busters are designed to use gravity to "penetrate through any mixture of earth, rock, and concrete before the bomb itself then explodes" underground, quoted Fox News. The explosion can either destroy the target or "collapse the structure" around the target, as per the report by Fox News. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo According to Fox News, the bunker busters are available in different weight classes, Israel has 2,000- and 5,000-pound varieties, but only the United States possesses the 30,000-pound GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP). ALSO READ: Peter Schiff sounds alarm: America faces economic doom as Fed powerless against hyperinflation threat Live Events Why Is Fordow So Hard to Destroy? According to Ruhe, the MOP, which was developed under former US president George W. Bush, was "designed specifically" for sites like Fordow, where nuclear facilities are hidden deep underground, as reported by Fox News. The depth of Fordow is a key factor in deciding the number of munitions required to target the facility, as per the report. While the Foundation for Defense of Democracies estimates the facility is 60 to 90 meters (196 to 295 feet) underground, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi told The Financial Times that it reaches 800 meters, Fox News reported. Ruhe speculated Grossi "may have been trying to message, 'hey, military action is not the solution here,'" as quoted in the report. How Would the US Use the MOP? Given Fordow's depth and the rocky terrain, the United States would likely use a "burrowing" technique, according to the report. Ruhe explained that this involves a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber would "drop several MOPs in succession, one after the other," quoted Fox News. The MOP reportedly has a penetration depth of 200 feet, as per Fox News. However, Fordow is not an easy target, as pilots have to take into account the facility's multiple narrow exit tunnels and achieve the right angle of impact to penetrate the ground, according to the report. FAQs Why hasn't Israel struck Fordow yet? Because it's buried so deep inside that even Israel's strongest bombs can't reach it effectively. What kind of bomb can hit Fordow? Only the US possesses the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator , a 30,000-pound bunker buster, as per the report.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
How bunker buster bombs work and how they could destroy Iran's Fordow nuclear site
As Israel's battle to take out Iran's nuclear capabilities continues, Iran's most heavily-protected nuclear facility at Fordow, two hours from Tehran, remains intact. Many military analysts believe that a two-ton precision bunker buster developed by and in sole possession of the U.S. is the only means of eliminating the Fordow site, which some claim may be capable of producing a nuclear warhead in as little as two to three days. Jonathan Ruhe, Director of Foreign Policy for JINSA, spoke with Fox News Digital about bunker-busters, and how Israel or the U.S. might use them to eliminate the Fordow nuclear threat. Ruhe said bunker busters are munitions designed to use the force of gravity to "penetrate through any mixture of earth, rock, and concrete before the bomb itself then explodes" underground. The explosion may either take out the target fully, or "collapse the structure" around the target "without necessarily obliterating it," he explained. Bunker busters come in multiple weight classes. Israel possesses 2,000- and 5,000-pound varieties. Only the U.S. possesses the 30,000-pound GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP). Developed under President George W. Bush, Ruhe says the MOP was "designed specifically" for targets like Fordow, where nuclear sites or command and control bunkers are hidden far underground. Ruhe said that the number of munitions required to target Fordow depends on the depth of the facility. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies states that Fordow's facility is between 60 and 90 meters (196 to 295 feet) below ground. The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi told The Financial Times last week that the facility reaches 800 meters underground. Ruhe said Grossi, who has been to the Fordow facility, may have been "trying to message, 'hey, military action is not the solution here.'" The MOP is said to have a penetration depth of 200 feet. Ruhe said that given Fordow's distance underground and the difficulty of penetrating the rocky mountainside the site is dug into, the U.S. would likely use a technique called burrowing, in which a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber would "drop several MOPs in succession, one after the other." Fordow poses a unique target. Ruhe said that pilots have to take into account the facility's multiple, narrow exit tunnels, and achieve the right angle of impact to penetrate the ground. Though Israeli air dominance over Iran has eliminated the need for stealth air assets, Ruhe believes the stealth B-2 would be the only tool adequate for delivering the MOPs. Ruhe said timing constraints make the use of B-52 bombers "not relevant." Additionally, Ruhe explained that talk of loaning B-2 bombers to the Israeli Air Force is "a dangerous distraction." Not only is there "0.0% chance" that the U.S. would give out this strategic capability, but Ruhe says training Israeli pilots to fly the B-2 would take several months. Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told Fox News Digital that "destroying [Fordow] from the air is a job only the U.S. can do." Given that Israel is "very tactically inventive" and "very good at maximizing the capabilities they do have," Ruhe says that Israel could achieve its goals at Fordow without the MOP. Not only did Ruhe offer the unlikely but not impossible scenario where Israel might "storm the site in a commando raid," but he said that Israel could use F-15s, escorted by F-35s, to deliver multiple 5,000-pound bunker busters over Fordow, utilizing the same burrowing tactic the U.S. would likely employ. Such a strike, he admitted, would "achieve a more limited definition of success" than the MOP could. The U.S. and Israel are likely to have different goals in targeting Fordow, Ruhe said. "Americans tend to think of obliterating targets," Ruhe said, whereas Israel would "probably be fine with saying they knocked back the operations there by a year or so." Ruhe estimates that the bunker busters may not completely destroy the facility, but that it may be considered a success if it were to knock out the power source to Iranian centrifuges, or making "the air too polluted" for centrifuges to operate. Israel has "successfully knocked out the other parts of Iran's fuel cycle" in Natanz and Isfahan, Ruhe said. "If you want to prevent a nuclear Iran, Fordow is a big part of that," Ruhe said. "But it's only just a part of what still needs to be done and thought about." Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this article.
The South African
5 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
Donald Trump claims authority over Iran's sky
US President Trump posted on Truth Social, 'We now have complete and total control of the skies over Iran.' He stressed that the superior military hardware produced by the United States was the reason for this dominance. Additionally, Trump expressed that his patience was reaching its limit. This followed his demand at the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, for Iran's 'unconditional surrender'. STRIKE HITS IRAN COMMAND POST On 17 June 2025, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) bombed Iran's main emergency military command centre in western Iran, destroying radar installations and air defence systems. The latest Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) report claims that the IDF destroyed missile infrastructure, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and dozens of surface-to-surface missile launchers. These attacks represent a step up in Operation Rising Lion, which aims to weaken Iran's drone and missile capabilities. The IDF confirmed the death of Major General Ali Shadmani, Iran's top battlefield commander and head of Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters. Moreover, the strike demonstrates Israel's intention to target high-ranking officials. The cybergroup 'Predatory Sparrow', linked to earlier Israeli cyber operations, claimed responsibility for the Bank Sepah hack. Authorities also accused the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of using the bank to finance military activities. Since Operation Rising Lion began, Israeli forces have reportedly neutralised more than 200 Iranian ballistic missile launchers. Based on IDF estimates, this amounts to more than half of Iran's known launcher inventory. Prime Minister Netanyahu said that Israel had destroyed about 1 000 Iranian drones, about half of the regime's stockpile. On 16 June 2025, the IDF attacked the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) studio during a live broadcast in Tehran. Coordinated attacks destroyed two Iranian F-14 fighter jets before takeoff, key missile infrastructure, and a truck carrying a surface-to-air missile (SAM) between Tehran and Qom. These actions were confirmed by JINSA's 17 June 2025 report. Iran targeted Israel with several waves of ballistic missiles and drones on June 17. Shortly before impact, Israel's Home Front Command sent out alerts. A direct missile strike forced the Bazan refinery in Haifa to close temporarily. Civilians in Tel Aviv were injured by falling shrapnel from missile interceptions. These incidents marked a sharp increase in regional violence, prompting emergency responses and increased security measures across Israeli cities and vital infrastructure. Amid rising Israel-Iran tensions, the United States increased its military presence in the Middle East on 17 June 2025. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the deployment, including the USS Nimitz, USS Carl Vinson, refuelling tankers, F-16s, F-22s, and F-35 fighter jets. Officials told Reuters that the move aims to protect American forces, deter Iran, stabilise the area, and expand President Trump's military options if the conflict worsens. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
Fox News
7 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Could private security contractors be the 'day after' solution in Gaza?
The question of a "day after" plan in the Gaza Strip has plagued negotiations between Israel, the U.S., Arab nations and Hamas for months and has ultimately led to the terrorist network's refusal to release the 55 hostages still held there. However, foreign policy leaders and security experts based in Washington may have the key that could provide a solution to help rebuild the war-torn Gaza Strip where others cannot: private security contractors (PSC). PSCs, which have heavy experience in the Middle East and decades of lessons learned to draw from, could be used as non-state actors to provide stability and a path forward for the Palestinians, but they would have to start with humanitarian aid, John Hannah, former national security advisor to Dick Cheney and current Randi & Charles Wax senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), told Fox News Digital. In a plan hatched out following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel and the subsequent outbreak of war in the Gaza Strip, a group of eight members with JINSA and the Vandenberg Coalition comprised a report that detailed how the handling of humanitarian aid could completely change security in the region. The plan, in part, initially looked similar to the mechanism known as the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is backed by the U.S. and Israel, and which launched last month to distribute aid to Palestinians. However, the plan comprised by Hannah and the team took it a step further and argued that these aid actors should also be involved in rebuilding Gaza. "We thought humanitarian issues was the best way [forward]," Hannah said. "It was the common denominator that would allow all of the major stakeholders that want to get to a better 'day after' – Israel, the United States, the key pragmatic Arab states – they all could agree that we can't agree on a political vision for Palestine 10 years from now, and the issue of a Palestinian state, but we can all agree on this apple pie and motherhood issue that we don't want to see starving, suffering Palestinians." The Israel Defense Forces had already detailed the need to eliminate Hamas following the deadliest-ever attack on Israel, but the group of eight experts also identified that aid, long used by Hamas to maintain power by using it to incentivize support and recruitment, and to punish opposition, needed to be the key to cementing actual change. "We needed a solution on humanitarian aid," Hannah said. "And when we looked around the world, who could do this, take over the humanitarian aid? We were left with one option." "We didn't think it should be the Israel Defense Forces. Israel lacks legitimacy with the Palestinian population, and frankly, it had its hands full doing the military job of defeating Hamas," he added. "American forces weren't going to do it. We didn't think Arab forces would step up and do this. And the U.N. system as it existed under UNRWA was illegitimate in the eyes of Israel." The group not only briefed the Biden and Netanyahu administrations on the proposal, but held numerous discussions with Israeli officials in 2024 on how such a plan could work. Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Barbero – who served as deputy chief of staff, Strategic Operations for Multinational Forces-Iraq for 2007-2008 and who was tasked by Gen. David Petraeus to create a system of accountability over PSCs in Iraq following the Blackwater incident in September 2007 known as the Nisour Square massacre – also briefed Israeli officials on how a PSC mechanism could work in the Gaza Strip. Progress on the proposal appeared to stall by summer last year as then-President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were at increasing loggerheads over humanitarian concerns and mounting civilian Palestinian death tolls. However, Hannah questioned whether the seed had been planted with Israel by the time the Trump administration re-entered office, enabling the GHF to come in and start distributing aid. The GHF, though it has distributed over 16 million meals since it began operations in late May, saw a chaotic start with starving Palestinians rushing certain sites and reports of violence unfolding. Though the reports of the level of chaos have reportedly been exaggerated by Hamas – which ultimately would benefit from the GHF's failure as experts have explained – the group initially drew some criticism over transparency concerns, though the group has been looking to remedy this with regal updates. The group, which saw its third leadership in as many weeks earlier this month, told Fox News Digital that despite some frustration among world leaders and aid groups, its goal is to work with major organizations like the United Nations and others to better distribute aid across Gaza where those programs are still flagging. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee confirmed last month that the GHF's distribution centers would be protected by private security contractors. Though while Washington backs the effort, State Department spokeperson Tammy Bruce has repeatedly made clear that the GHF is "an independent organization" that "does not receive U.S. government funding." However, she has also refused to confirm whether any U.S. officials are working for the program. PSCs have a storied history in the Middle East, and not only the U.S. war on terror. They have been used by nations like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which could lend them a level of acceptance that would not be attainable by another force. The proposal issued by Hannah and his colleagues took the use of PSCs one step beyond humanitarian aid and argued they could make a positive impact in the actual reconstruction of the Gaza Strip – an idea that was also presented to the Trump administration this year. "It's not at all foreign to these Arab parties that you might employ PSCs for certain critical missions," Hannah said. "Our idea was, let's scale it up. Let's unify the effort. Let's have America and the Arabs lead it. "The Arabs would put in most of the humanitarian aid workers, a lot of the financing, and then they would hire some of these international PSCs with a lot of experience to come in and protect those operations," he explained. "You'd have the Arabs engaged, which we thought was absolutely critical." The plan also included bringing in other international aid organizations that would work with these PSCs to expand developments like housing projects, community development and infrastructure repair to restore electricity and water. "And eventually, hopefully, begin to identify new leadership, local leadership in Gaza, who would be prepared to cooperate with the operations of this nonprofit entity," Hannah said. "Local Gazans of goodwill, who wanted to be rid of Hamas, who this entity could provide some support to, some protection to so they can, could begin rebuilding Gaza civil administration." The plan also addressed the perpetual question of how to deter the next generation of Hamas terrroirsts, particularly amid Israeli military operations. Hannah argued this issue could be addressed by simultaneously training a "non-Hamas new Palestinian, local Palestinian security force" that would not only have the trust of the local population but could also gain the trust of Israel. Hannah said he still believes this plan could be a tenable next step to securing the Gaza Strip but urged the Trump administration to take a more direct diplomatic role by leaning on Arab, European and Israeli partners to make it happen. The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital's questions about this reporting.
