Reports are rife that the U.S. President Donald Trump privately approved detailed military plans for striking Iranian nuclear sites. The report in the Wall Street Journal reveals that although Trump was prepared to greenlight an attack targeting Iran’s deeply fortified Fordow nuclear facility, he ultimately held back, leaving the option on the table as a deterrent.
The revelation comes amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, as Israel weighs its ability to strike Iran’s nuclear infrastructure without direct U.S. military involvement.
Trump’s Covert Approval and Public Denial?
According to anonymous sources cited by The Wall Street Journal, Trump reviewed and conditionally approved an attack plan focused on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, especially the Fordow uranium enrichment plant, which is located deep inside a mountain near Qom. However, he ultimately chose not to proceed, reportedly to preserve room for diplomacy.
Publicly, Trump has distanced himself from the report, dismissing it as “pure speculation” and claiming the WSJ “has no idea what my thinking was.”
Israel’s Limitations Without US
Despite strong rhetoric from Israeli leadership—including claims from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel can act alone—experts believe the country lacks the firepower needed to destroy Iran’s underground nuclear sites. The Fordow site is buried under hundreds of feet of rock and reinforced concrete, making it virtually impervious to conventional weapons.
Only the United States possesses the 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator—capable of striking such hardened targets. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert recently stated that “no Israeli weapon today can reach that depth with the needed precision.”
Over the past year, Israel has launched a series of limited strikes and covert operations, collectively dubbed Operation Rising Lion, targeting Iranian missile depots and suspected enrichment facilities. While these efforts caused some damage, satellite and intelligence assessments show Iran’s key enrichment capabilities remain intact.
Iran has responded with missile attacks into Israel, including one that struck a hospital in southern Israel last week, inflaming regional tensions and international concern.
How Will the US target Iran?
If the U.S. were to launch a full-scale air campaign against Iran’s nuclear program, it would likely unfold in several phases, involving advanced aircraft, strategic bombers, and precision-guided munitions.
1. Target Selection
Primary targets: Fordow, Natanz, Arak heavy water reactor, Isfahan conversion facility.
Secondary targets: Iranian air defense systems (e.g., S-300/S-400 batteries), command and control nodes, missile production facilities.
2. Stealth & Suppression
Initial strikes would likely involve stealth aircraft (e.g., B-2 Spirit bombers and F-22/F-35 fighters) targeting radar and anti-aircraft systems to open safe corridors.
Cyberattacks and electronic warfare would aim to cripple Iranian communications and air defense networks before manned bombers arrive.
3. Bunker-Busting
The U.S. would deploy GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators from B-2 bombers to hit Fordow and other deeply buried targets.
These weapons can penetrate up to 200 feet of concrete, making them essential for targeting Iran’s hardened facilities.
4. Escalation Control
The Pentagon would likely keep naval forces on high alert in the Persian Gulf, while preparing for retaliatory strikes by Iran or its regional proxies (e.g., Hezbollah in Lebanon or militias in Iraq and Syria).
Oil shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz could become flashpoints for broader conflict.
Such an operation could last 72–96 hours but risk expanding into a prolonged conflict depending on Iran’s response.
The US and Israel are already setting up the game with Syria already leaning towards the West, Iraq under Western influence and now it seems Pakistan too has joined up to encircle Iran.
With Iran’s nuclear program advancing and Israel warning it may act unilaterally, pressure is mounting on Washington to clarify its position. A U.S. airstrike remains a last-resort option one that carries enormous risks to regional stability, global oil markets, and the lives of thousands, but the strikes seem to be inching closer now seeming to be only a few weeks or days away.
