What are the challenges in making an attempt to assault Fordow?
Given how deeply buried Fordow is, a single strike wouldn’t be sufficient to take down the ability, stated Mr Tan.
If the US decides to enter the conflict, it must use a number of GBU-57s, launched in waves, to make sure Fordow is totally destroyed.
In a commentary for the UK’s Royal United Providers Institute think-tank, senior analysis fellows Darya Dolzikova and Professor Justin Bronk highlighted the presence of layered ground-based air defences surrounding the ability.
Iran possesses a variety of air defences, together with surface-to-air missile methods together with the Russian S-300PMU-2 lengthy vary, Khordad 15 medium vary and Russian Tor M-1 quick vary.
Having this array of methods close to most key Iranian targets means some weapons should be intercepted, notably free-falling bombs, Ms Dolzikova and Prof Bronk wrote.
They cited how the Tor M-1 has repeatedly shot down a spread of precision-guided munitions within the battle in Ukraine.
The sensible challenges concerned in attacking a facility like Fordow render it infeasible to rely strictly on a army resolution to Iran’s nuclear risk, the specialists wrote.
“Following any army strike on its nuclear websites, Iran not solely has the requisite indigenous experience however may also have elevated incentive to rebuild, and to rebuild deeper and extra hardened amenities.”
However they nonetheless famous the “worth of issuing credible army threats as a part of a broader effort”, notably if Iran decides to hurry in direction of a nuclear weapon, or start uranium enrichment to 90 per cent.
“Making clear the willingness to hold out such assaults – however solely as an possibility of final resort – may assist exert the required strain to persuade Tehran to cooperate with expectations to not cross sure thresholds or to reverse course on notably destabilising exercise.”
