New Delhi: The ongoing tension between Iran and Israel, a focal point of conflict in the Middle East, has escalated to a new and perilous level. For decades, Iran’s nuclear program has raised alarms among global powers. It is now firmly in Israel’s sights. On the morning of Friday, 13 June 2025, Israel launched an attack on Iran’s capital, Tehran, specifically targeting the nation’s nuclear program, which has heightened the likelihood of a full-scale war between these two longstanding adversaries in West Asia. This assault is regarded as the most significant strike against Iran since the Iraq war in the 1980s. Israel also targeted the primary nuclear enrichment facility in Iran, with reports of black smoke billowing from the site following the attack. Nevertheless, experts contend that dismantling Iran’s nuclear infrastructure is not a straightforward task for Israel. Let us delve deeper into this issue.
Iran’s nuclear program is characterized by its intricacy and secrecy. Notably, its two principal sites, Natanz and Fordo, are constructed under mountainous terrain and deep rock formations, rendering them resistant to external assaults. Israel has initiated ‘Operation Rising Lion’ with the objective of thwarting Iran’s development of nuclear weapons. On Friday, 13 June 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that Iran’s key enrichment facilities at Natanz and other locations have been struck. Natanz, situated in Isfahan province, is Iran’s largest uranium enrichment facility. This site is housed in underground bunkers, shielded by several meters of thick concrete and rock layers. Although Natanz has previously experienced cyberattacks and unexplained explosions, its profound structure makes it difficult to obliterate.
Fordo, located in a mountainous region near Qom, is regarded as Iran’s most secure nuclear site. Targeting this facility, which has been carved into the mountain, is nearly impossible due to its natural and artificial defenses. Its primary function is to enrich uranium to a high degree, a crucial step towards the potential development of nuclear weapons.
Israel’s military faces significant obstacles that hinder its ability to launch a large-scale attack on Iran. These challenges include: Distance: Iran is approximately 1,000 kilometers from Israel. To cover this distance, the Israeli Air Force requires long-range fighter jets, air refueling capabilities, and intricate logistics. Insufficient weaponry: To effectively target deep bunkers such as Natanz and Fordo, munitions like the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) are essential, which are exclusively available to the US. Israel lacks the necessary weapons to adequately destroy these facilities. Iran’s air defense systems: Iran has installed sophisticated air defense systems to safeguard its nuclear installations. Drawing lessons from Israel’s past operations in Syria and Iraq, Iran has further fortified its defenses. Intelligence difficulties: Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, has executed numerous covert missions aimed at disrupting Iran’s nuclear program, including the assassination of scientists and cyberattacks. However, Iran has now adopted a more cautious approach and has initiated its own covert activities within Israel. Israel requires technical, intelligence, and military support from the US to fully dismantle Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
