Overview

• Israel’s air campaign since June 13 has damaged Iran’s Natanz enrichment plant and a Parchin weapons modeling site, prompting Tehran to launch more than 400 missiles and drones in retaliation.
• U.S. officials are debating whether to use B-2 bombers and 30,000-pound bunker-busting munitions to neutralize Fordow, marking a potential first direct offensive collaboration with Israel.
• Israeli national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi insists Israel can meet its defined goals without U.S. assistance but acknowledges the technical challenges of targeting Fordow’s underground chambers.
• Analysts warn that direct U.S. involvement could heighten risks to American troops, strain Washington’s alliance with Jerusalem, and risk broader regional escalation.
• Experts caution that even if current facilities are destroyed, Iran retains the expertise to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure, raising prospects of a prolonged or repeated campaign.