The United States Among Iran's Nuclear Facilities, Bunker Buster And Diego Garcia

JAKARTA - A number of US bombers capable of carrying a bunker charter were seen at the Diego Garcia military base in the Indian Ocean, as the conflict between Iran and Israel continued.

Satellite imagery taken this week shows the presence of four B-52 Stratofortress that can technically drop the 13,600 kg GBU-57 bomb needed to penetrate the underground bunker network.

The planes were spotted by commercial satellite image company Planet Labs, and tracked how the balance of the aircraft at the base had changed as the situation in the Middle East worsened, quoted from The National June 20.

Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in the "Raising Lion" operation on Friday, June 13, targeting targets of Iran's nuclear and military facilities. It triggered retaliatory attacks in the form of missiles and drones launched by Iran.

Six F-15 multi-role fighter aircraft have also arrived in recent days and will be used to protect the airbase from attacks by Iranian drones or cruise missiles.

Six KC-135 tankers were also there, giving America the option to refuel the aircraft as they approach Iran if needed.

There are also prospects, with aircraft movements to Diego Garcia still active, the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber (also capable of carrying the GBU-57) can also land there, which has been spotted in recent months.

Diego Garcia is likely to be used as a base for "defensive" attacks on Iran, according to information obtained by The National.

"While they can drop the GBU-57, the fact they have to fly straight and flat means the B-52 will be an easy target if used over Iran," said military aviation expert Tim

"But they carry 20 cruise missiles, which they can launch remotely," he added.

The current total value of the jet is close to 1.5 billion US dollars, in contrast to the cost of 12 billion US dollars for six B-2s on base two months ago and appears to have been moved back to the US.

Initially, the planes were there to be used against Yemen's Houthis as part of a US bombing campaign before the ceasefire was agreed.

They are the most expensive aircraft ever made and the only one certified to drop the GBU-57 bombing.

Their departure makes it possible if US President Donald Trump decides to support Israel by attacking Iran's hidden Fordow nuclear facility on the mountain, an attack will be launched from the United States.

B-2 will fly from the Whiteman air force base in Missouri, USA directly to the location near Qom, Iran, which is 11,200 km away.

While it is a range limit, B-2 will be able to receive air-to-air refueling from tankers stationed in the Middle East and Europe.

Fordow, which is 300 feet underground, can only be reached by bombs with the penetration capabilities of GBU-57 or the Massive Ordonance Penetrator (MOP) which is only owned by the US, so Israel wants this target to be achieved with the help of the US military, according to the USA Today report.

In fact, Israel also has a US-made charter bunker, but its range is shallower than the GBU-28 and BLU-109 which were dropped from F-15 fighter jets, quoted from Al Jazeera.

Last year, Israel reportedly succeeded in killing Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah at his base in Beirut, Lebanon using the BLU-109 bomb.

Yesterday, President Trump, according to White House Press Secretary Krypt Leavitt, will consider whether the US will assist Israel in attacking Iran or not, quoted by Reuters.

Although President Trump is interested in seeking a diplomatic solution with Iran, his priority remains, ensuring Tehran does not acquire nuclear weapons.

Sources familiar with it said President Trump considered it reasonable for the US to attack Iran if a charter bunker was able to destroy Iran's uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, as reported by The Guardian.

President Trump has been told that dropping the GBU-57 will be effective in eliminating Fordow. But he is not entirely sure, the sources said.

President Trump is not considering using tactical nuclear weapons at Fordow and this possibility was not conveyed by Defense Minister Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Rightre at a meeting in the White House Situation Room, two people familiar with the matter said.

US defense officials who received the briefing were told the use of conventional bombs as part of a broader attack package of several GBU-57s would not penetrate deep enough underground and would only cause enough damage to undermine tunnels and bury them under the rubble.

US defense officials were also told to completely destroy Fordow, which Israeli intelligence estimated was at a depth of 300 feet, the US most likely had to first soften the ground with a conventional bomb and then eventually drop a tactical nuclear weapon from a B2 bomber.

The assessment was carried out by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), a component of the Department of Defense that tested the GBU-57, while reviewing the limitations of US military weapons to a number of underground facilities.

That underscores the complex nature of such attacks and what will happen if successful: dropping the GRU-57 will likely hamper Iran's ability to acquire weapons-grade uranium for several years, but will not end the program completely.

Let's not forget, Russia, which this year signed a strategic partnership agreement with Iran, and has ties with Israel, has warned the US not to engage in this conflict.

"This (US direct involvement) would be a move that would radically disrupt the entire situation," Interfax quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying, criticizing such "spectulative and alleged options".

On the other hand, Diego Garcia, the largest island in the Chagos Islands, has been used as the location of a joint British-US military base since the 1970s because its strategic and important position in the Indian Ocean, is British territory.

Britain recently signed a deal to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, with an agreement to hire Diego Garcia for 101 million pounds annually for the next 99 years.

However, as Diego Garcia's base is across the UK's sea, a permit will be required from London before any attack on Iran is carried out.

Britain is likely to face domestic opposition to join the US in the conflict. Prime Minister Keir Starmer held an emergency meeting of Cobra upon his return to England from the G7 summit to discuss Britain's response to the crisis.

Attorney General Lord Richard Hermer has reportedly voiced concerns about the legality of Britain's involvement, suggesting that Britain limit this to "detainment" support.

However, Sir John Sawers, the former head of MI6, on Thursday told the London Conference of think tank Chatham House, he saw no obstacle to Britain's green light for the use of the archipelago for Iran's mission.

"If American bombers actually strike, they will almost certainly do so from Diego Garcia," he said.

"We just negotiated a long-term rental so there may be an American base in Diego Garcia. I didn't see Keir Starmer saying, 'oh, but you can't use it. I'm worried'. I didn't see that," he said.

However, there are concerns that further escalation with Iran will have unwanted effects, reinforcing Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Former National Security Adviser Lord Peter Ricketts said Britain "cannot" support a potential US attack on Iran.

"The only way we can control Iran's nuclear ambitions in the long term is to make a deal with them," he said.

"I think just returning and bombing them every few years will not make the world safer. In fact, it will strengthen their determination to continue developing nuclear weapons after this battle ends," he said.