I read that 'Only' the USA B2 Spirit can carry and drop the MOP bomb/missile to damage Fordow sufficiently.

However, I believe the IDF have C130s. Surely that has sufficient lift, and surely the ingenious IDF could cobble together the necessary mods?

That ignores the practicality of borrowing a MOP or two, but stranger things have happened. In WW II Lancasters were modded very quickly to carry the various Barnes Wallis weapons.

Just sayin'

https://tinyurl.com/5c7xxrrb

China signals readiness to step into Iran-Israel conflict

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday voiced strong concern over Israel’s recent military actions against Iran, warning that continued escalation threatens regional stability and undermines international interests.

Speaking during a high-level summit with Central Asian leaders in the Kazakh capital of Astana, Xi said China is “deeply worried” about the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran.

His comments marked Beijing’s first public statement on the latest round of military exchanges in the region, which erupted last Friday.
“Israel’s military operation against Iran has sharply worsened tensions in the Middle East,” Xi said, according to China’s official Xinhua News Agency. “We oppose any actions that infringe upon the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of other countries.”

In a bilateral meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Xi warned that military conflict is not a viable path to resolve disputes and called for restraint by all parties involved. “Rising instability in the region does not serve the common interests of the international community,” he said.

The Chinese president’s statement comes as Israeli airstrikes continue to target Iranian military infrastructure, prompting fears that the confrontation could spiral into a broader regional war. China has historically positioned itself as a neutral actor in Middle East affairs but has growing economic and energy stakes in the region—especially with Iran.

According to Chinese state sources, Xi emphasized China’s readiness to work with all sides to prevent further escalation and to help restore peace and stability in the Middle East. “China is willing to play a constructive role in bringing the region back to stability,” he said.

China’s concern over the Israel-Iran conflict also reflects deeper strategic calculations. The Chinese economy depends heavily on Iranian oil exports, and any disruption in supply chains or spike in global energy prices would likely worsen China’s ongoing economic slowdown. Beijing has invested heavily in energy infrastructure linked to Iran, including through its Belt and Road Initiative.

Although Xi did not mention the energy dimension directly in his remarks, Chinese officials have privately acknowledged that continued instability in the Gulf could pose a direct threat to national energy security. More than half of China’s crude oil imports from the Middle East come from or pass through the Persian Gulf region.

China has recently strengthened diplomatic ties with Gulf states, including Oman, Saudi Arabia, and Iran itself. In recent days, Beijing also reached out to Oman with a message that “we cannot sit by” and let the Israel-Iran situation spiral out of control, according to the Foreign Ministry of Oman.

While China has no formal defense alliance with Tehran, Beijing has been a consistent voice against Western-led military interventions in the Middle East and has supported diplomatic alternatives in regional disputes.

Xi’s remarks reinforce China’s broader narrative as a counterbalance to U.S. influence in the region—urging dialogue and criticizing unilateral military action. However, critics argue that Beijing’s engagement has been largely rhetorical and lacks the political leverage needed to de-escalate major regional conflicts.

Probably wouldn't work due to slower speed and lower max. altitude than a B-2 giving much less kinetic energy
but never say never :)

See this story which discusses the proposal.

https://www.twz.com/air/could-israel...bunker-busters
...
...
....

On timing of any full-scale US intervention, precedent suggests they normally take time to get overwhelming force fully in place before making a move. That process appears to be ongoing.

My bold.

I don't recall him saying that about Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Must be my memory.

Slightly clickbaity headline. Nothing in Xi's words about "stepping in" militarily, rather a readiness to "work with both sides" to de-escalate etc.

Even if you have interfered with incoming missiles so they don’t strike their ”intended” targets, the debris has to land somewhere. It doesn’t disappear in a poof of smoke. It’s hazardous junk.

I use the word “intended” in quotes, as I’m not sure they’re aiming at anything in particular. They may just be shooting anywhere that seems like a weak spot in Israel’s defense shield, leading Israel to ask that citizens not post the locations of where missiles/drones/bombs have successfully landed/exploded.

Or put the enemy slightly off guard!

Exactly! Personally I think that IDF SF might do something in the meantime especially as some pundits are claiming that B-2A + GBU-57 MOP might not be able to finish the job.
The NSC meeting yesterday was short so no doubt President Trump knows the answer one way or the other on the likelihood of success with GBU-57 but also has to weigh the risks of retaliation on US forces in the area.

Tomorrow is "within the next two weeks"...

But if he does wait the best part of 14 days before enacting a decision the situation may well have changed significantly.

Same with this one from the same article - hopefully he practises what he preaches!

This has a familiar ring.

It's not TACO, it's TWACO; Two Weeks And Chicken Out.

2 Chinese electronic intelligence ships, the 855 and the 815A, are in the Persian Gulf, sucking in everything they can on Israeli F-35, F-15 and other assets operating overhead Iran including their EW systems.

H I Sutton - Covert Shores

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_815_spy_ship

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....58190c4451.png

US Fox News Senior White House Correspondent - debunking nonsense in The Guardian Trump caution on Iran strike linked to doubts over ‘bunker buster’ bomb, officials say | Iran | The Guardian

"A White House official tells me the contents of this report are false – that the US military has no doubt about the efficacy of bunker busters in eliminating the site at Fordow, also denying that any options (including tactical nukes) have been taken off the table."

In other news, dog bites man.

We do it, they do it. We (the west) do it to one another such as the French at Red Flag. I’d be surprised if they weren’t there.

There are modes and capabilities you use use in peacetime practice and exercises and there are those you only ever use in war.

I think the Chinese are happy to be on the sidelines of the latter.

👍👍👍👍👍

Israel shattered a myth that many clueless voices believed:

Drones haven’t replaced multirole jets. Despite Iran’s massive drone fleet and missile arsenal, Israeli F35, F15, and F16 jets dominate the skies. Air superiority still belongs to modern, well-organized air forces.

Elon Musk once claimed F35 multirole jets were obsolete because of drones. Operation Rising Lion proves how wrong—and clueless—that take was. Iran’s air defense and air force were large, but outdated. Israel dismantled them in days. Drones alone don’t win wars.

Russia couldn’t do this in Ukraine, despite a bigger air force. Israel’s success shows the power of a proper modern air force.

Ukraine needs more than just air defense—it needs jets, missiles and bombs for them, and AWACS to protect civilians and deter future threats…….

Let’s step up…. Ukraine’s air power is its shield—and our responsibility.

I would imagine so.

Unsubstantiated, but still….

Japanese Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani has announced that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force will be deploying two C-2 military transport aircrafts to Djibouti in Eastern Africa, to organize and stage for the evacuation of roughly 1,000 Japanese nationals that are currently trapped in Israel, as well as around 280 that are trapped in Iran.

VideoThe Imperial Air Force Pilots Association of Iran is urging the Artesh (Iranian Military) to defect from the terrorist Islamic Republic and join the people

Pilot Colonel Mostafa Babaian conveys their message.

I think the hawks are placing far too much faith in the B2/MOP combo. The facility is a long way inside Iran for a subsonic bomber with a load out like that. Also, what level of precision are we talking about, and would multiple strikes be required? Then there's the issue of bomb damage assessment.

Having flown all the way from the USA the last few miles inside Iran isn’t a factor.

Precision will be pinpoint to within a few inches based on satellite updates shielded from interference from below.

If multiple strikes are required then 20 aircraft are available for multiple repeat missions.

BDA can be performed by each subsequent flight, IAF F-35 post strike recce and/or satellite data.

You’re welcome.

Maybe it explains why the Administration is giving things a bit of time to fester in the growing hope that the Ayatollah gets removed by the long oppressed people of Iran themselves.

I watch with great curiosity, a basic understanding of the mission and the weapons available with no basis to judge the outcome. I am curious of your skepticism, do you possess special insights of the challenges and thus doubt of the outcome?

It would be interesting to know what these flights are about.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/chi...-what-carrying

Yet more bone-headed reasoning. Two more weeks. Let's give Iran more time to organise and activate proxies.
I imagine right now there would be one or two handpicked B2 pilots maintaining outward professionalism, while quietly feeling a degree of frustration.

Ms Leavitt statement reported by BeeBeeCee:

I feel a strange level of affection that is quite alien. Someone somewhere is making a point that is sticking.

Iran has now an opportunity to take action to de-escalate their closure of the Straits of Hormuz, which will otherwise pit a rather large number of countries against them, while determining what is best for the state of Iran and how important being an Islamic state that has a fairly large level of resentment from it's populace.

A historical truth is that the autocratic powerbase when it crumbles takes away a lot of privilege and occasionally the breath of those that have used their power to harm the population, bit of a tiff may ensue.

The merit of religion seems to not favour one over the other, in fact, amongst the lot of them, I think at least the Zen Buddhists eat heartily, and the Catholics get Pizza. Decision, decisions.

When putting off WW-3 by 2-weeks is a win, we are definitely in the "interesting times" phase-space.

Could just be re-stocking parts for drones or be carrying other armaments.

What have the Romans Italians ever done for us? Well answered, in advance. :)
NATO put off WW III for roughly 80 50 years, so a two-week reprieve isn't filling me with gratitude. Am I wrong to feel that way?

We can't have urbane people like yourself feeling affection for the feckless!
Seriously though - this is sounding like the Chinese playbook in the South China sea.
Iran again denies, delays, dissembles, buys time.
To me, absent intelligence and any publicly disclosed hard evidence, noting Netanyahu has been saying they're weeks/months away from breakout for years now - there's one glaring indicator of the regime's true intent, and that's the hundred or so metres of rock and concrete above the Fordow centrifuge halls.
If you're pursuing a non-military nuclear program, then why have you deeply buried it?
Build your facilities on the surface and let the IAEA in - problem solved. You get your peaceful nuclear power and medicine program, the world breathes easy.
Until then, the world has the right to be suspicious. When a regime with the track record of Iran builds such a deeply buried facility, that alone is a trigger to act in my personal opinion.
Oh, so you then say you have a right to a nuclear weapon because the little Satan has them already and you need to potentially be able to defend yourselves ? (yes I know they've been supposedly deemed un-Islamic, but bear with me here)
You don't fear the Jews - you hate them - and there's a big difference.
Yes they're aggressive. Yes they're now arguably genocidal in Gaza - shelling starving people running for food - utterly egregious.
Is their leader a war criminal? Possibly. But common sense tells me I know who I'd rather have the bomb. And I respect the hell out of their fighter pilots and spooks.
Is that a double standard - most likely.
Ten years ago I busted my ankle. As I lay in the bay being prepped for surgery, the anaesthetic technician and I got talking. He was Iranian, shifted to Australia as a student.
I asked him "...are they really pursing the bomb?"
He rolled his eyes, laughed at the naivety of my question and said emphatically "...oh yes, indeed!"

Trump is saying two weeks. The Israelis who have largely brought Iran to its knees are under no such timelime.

How big atomic bomb could be? 3, 5, 10 meters long? One , two meters diametar? And wieght? Ton, two,three...?


From.my point of view, Iran, even it could produce something that belong to that class- has no capabilities, neither knowledge- to transport it from production line to target- especially if that target is 1000+km away....


For that they need air supeority over very big portion of airspace- not to mention pilots or artilery capable of hit target.
No case, but Iran will pay huge price to be non coperative and oposition to the rest of the World.

I looked at one of cited flights it landed in Khazakstan. Theres even photos of it on the ground. Also lots of GPS jamming around

To the extent she can even be believed or trusted, along with the rest of the administration, Karoline Leavitt just made some very interesting comments.
The US assessment is Iran is at the point where it could relatively quickly field a nuclear weapon. Journalists pressed her on that point - if she meant they'd just enriched uranium to weapons grade, had built a bomb, or had the ability to build a complete weapon.
She repeated the assessment was they could relatively quickly field a weapon.
Iran can clearly build the delivery system - they've been using multiple stage, ex-atmospheric ballistic missiles with accurate guidance systems to hit Israel.
They can clearly enrich Uranium. From my limited knowledge - the trickiest bit is not getting a stationary device to explode (a la The Gadget at the Trinity test).
It's miniaturising that device into an operational warhead, which can be successfully mated to a bus attached to the top of a missile. Said warhead and bus needs to be able to withstand the shock of launch, flight and MaxQ/heat of re-entry (up to Mach 20 and 7,000 degrees Celsius), the re-entry vehicle having ablative coatings, and then reliably compress the pit with extreme precision to generate the x-rays and trigger the secondary fusion device.
If the Iranians have successfully demonstrated this last miniaturisation/ruggedization step - then we're talking a whole different ballgame.
Leavitt seemed to definitively allude that they had - noting again the caveat that she and her fellow travelers are quite happy to lie like flat fish when it suits them - and there is prior form in doing so on weapons of mass destruction.
Simplistic diagram below - which everyone will probably be very familiar with - noting the foam, FOGBANK, which the dear old US forgot the recipe for and had to reverse engineer...

https://cdn.britannica.com/06/114406...mb-warhead.jpg

Iran as a sovereign state has a legitimate right to self defence one assumes. When their habitual adversaries have TNW's, it seems arbitrary to accept any one country having an arsenal of WMD and then objecting to those that live with some justifiable reservations in the altruism of those that have plonked one or two of these off downtown, and for their acquisition of the same weapon to be unacceptable.

Not in favour of Iran having WMD, not sure that our own teams have are righteous to the extent we also are not reasonably considered an existential threat to Iran etc.

Israel's response to the heinous murder of its citizens has played out as a greek tragedy as they have acted in a manner that is a mirror of that they objected to. There is no honour in what has occurred in Gaza.

Israel should be able to live in peace, however that would be a more likely proposition if they stopped their disenfranchisement of the Palestinians. Iran's support of what we call terrorist organisations is not helpful to peace, but then shooting your own children in the head for not wearing a cloth that was a man made invention 1400 years ago, used to subjugate the females of the population in part (there are some historical justifications that may have been reasonable in 760 AD, they look a little tired today).

The Arab nations who could readily assimilate the Palestinians into their empty lands, if not their society, don't.

Why should there be any intelligent life in the universe, given there is precious little intelligence on this damned rock.

Recently a comment somewhere among all these threads caught my eye, that an official who went to observe the Fordow facility said it was 'about half a mile underground'.

We see the tunnel entrances in the satellite shot, so presumably a bomb (or multiple several bombs) would need to cover a circle 100 meters down and three quarters of a mile in radius from there, to be sure.

Hi jolihokistix it was the head of the IAEA , Rafael Grossi, who claimed that he had been to sites in Iran 'many times'
(he did not identify which sites) and that you went down a spiral tunnel until you were 'half a mile underground'.

https://defencesecurityasia.com/en/h...ns-iaea-chief/

Well I've seen Top Gun Maverick so I do appreciate the challenge. Just sceptical of all those talking heads who think the B2 will just rock up and finish the job.