New US bill eyes bunker bombs for Israel if Iran resumes nukes

The United States is preparing to take unprecedented steps to help Israel defend itself against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Under a new bipartisan bill called the Bunker Buster Act, Israel could receive advanced B-2 stealth bombers and massive bunker-busting bombs if Iran moves to restart its nuclear weapons program.

Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Mike Lawler (R-NY) introduced the legislation. If passed, it would give President Trump the authority to supply Israel with some of the most powerful weapons in the US arsenal.

“Iran, the leading state sponsor of terror, and one of America’s top enemies, can never have a nuclear weapon,” Gottheimer said. “That’s why I strongly supported our military actions earlier this month.”

He pointed to Iran’s record of killing Americans, targeting US service members, and threatening Israel. “Israel must be able to defend itself against Iran and ensure that Iran cannot rebuild its nuclear capabilities,” he added.

Lawler emphasized that the bill would help keep the region and the world safer. “This bill gives the President the authority to equip Israel with the tools and training they need to deter Tehran and make the world a safer place,” he said.

The proposal follows a large-scale US strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities last month. B-2 bombers, which are capable of flying long distances without being detected, dropped 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators on three underground sites. Each bomb weighs 30,000 pounds and is designed to destroy heavily fortified bunkers.

Israel also participated in this strike. 

President Trump announced that the mission had “totally obliterated” Iran’s nuclear program. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) later confirmed that centrifuges at Iran’s Fordow site were no longer operational after the bombing.

However, IAEA Director Rafael Grossi warned that Iran still has the expertise and industrial resources to resume uranium enrichment. “The capacities they have are there,” Grossi said. “They can have, you know, in a matter of months, a few cascades of centrifuges spinning and producing enriched uranium, or less than that.”

Some reports suggested that Iran may have moved some of its enriched uranium away from the targeted facilities before the attack. US officials have strongly denied those claims. Even so, the uncertainty has increased pressure on Washington to prevent Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program.

If enacted, the Bunker Buster Act would mark a historic shift in US policy. The B-2 bomber is the only plane capable of carrying the massive bunker-buster bombs, and until now, no US ally has been allowed access to the aircraft.

With tensions still high, American lawmakers are sending a clear message that any renewed Iranian effort to develop nuclear weapons will face a swift and overwhelming response and that Israel may soon be able to deliver that response on its own.