Fact Check: U.S. Military Used 30,000-Pound Bunker Busters in Iran Strikes
What We Know
On June 21, 2025, the U.S. military, in coordination with Israel, launched airstrikes against three nuclear sites in Iran, including the heavily fortified Fordow facility. President Trump announced that these strikes were a significant military success aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear capabilities (NPR, BBC). The weapon reportedly used for these strikes was the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), which weighs approximately 30,000 pounds and is designed to penetrate deep underground facilities before detonating (Reuters, USA TODAY).
The Fordow facility is located about 300 feet beneath a mountain, making it particularly challenging to target with conventional munitions. The MOP is specifically designed for such tasks, capable of penetrating up to 60 feet of earth or 18 feet of concrete (BBC). Reports indicate that the MOP was indeed used in these strikes, confirming the claim that the U.S. military deployed 30,000-pound bunker busters in the operation (Interesting Engineering).
Analysis
The claim that the U.S. military used 30,000-pound bunker busters in strikes against Iran is supported by multiple credible sources. The GBU-57 MOP is explicitly mentioned in reports as the bomb used in the strikes, and its specifications corroborate the claim regarding its weight and purpose (Reuters, USA TODAY).
However, while the use of the MOP is confirmed, the extent of the damage caused by the strikes remains uncertain. Iranian officials have downplayed the impact, stating that the facilities had been evacuated prior to the attack, which raises questions about the effectiveness of the strikes (BBC). This discrepancy suggests that while the U.S. did employ the MOP, the actual military outcome may not align with the claims of total destruction made by President Trump (NPR).
The reliability of the sources reporting on this event is generally high, as they include established news organizations such as NPR, BBC, and Reuters. However, the political context surrounding the strikes and the statements made by officials can introduce bias, particularly in the framing of the success or failure of the operation.
Conclusion
The claim that the U.S. military used 30,000-pound bunker busters in strikes against Iran is Partially True. While it is confirmed that the GBU-57 MOP was deployed in the strikes, the actual effectiveness and impact of these strikes are still under debate, with conflicting reports on the damage inflicted on the targeted facilities. Therefore, while the use of the bunker busters is accurate, the broader implications of the strikes and their success remain uncertain.
Sources
- U.S. strikes 3 nuclear sites in Iran
- What we know about US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities
- U.S. Military Is Pulled Back Into Middle East Wars
- US B-2 bombers and bunker-busters used in Iran strike
- US strikes Iran, B-2 bombers drop bunker busters, submarines fire missiles
- US bombs Iran: What to know about 'bunker buster' bomb
