As the international community grapples with the persistent threat of a nuclear-armed Iran, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant called for immediate and decisive American military action to eliminate the last critical component of Iran's nuclear weapons program: the fortified Fordow enrichment facility.
In a joint op-ed with historian Niall Ferguson, published in the British Times, Gallant contends that while Israel has "very nearly completed" the job of ensuring Iran never possesses nuclear weapons, the United States holds the unique capability to deliver the final blow.
Gallant and Ferguson emphasize that the decision facing President Trump is not about a prolonged "forever war" but a "clearly defined and limited" intervention.
"The US today is not being asked to send soldiers to invade or occupy Iran," they write, asserting that "much of the work of defeating Iran has already been done by Israel."
The authors commend Israel's recent military operations, which they describe as a "strategic inflection point." They highlight that "after decades of preparation, Israel has acted: striking critical nuclear sites, dismantling missile production lines, and eliminating senior figures in Iran’s military and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps." These actions, they claim, have already "set Iran’s program back by years."
Despite these successes, one crucial site remains: Fordow. This facility, "deep underground and heavily fortified," houses "eight cascades with over 3,000 centrifuges," capable of rapidly enriching weapons-grade uranium in "just three weeks, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)."
Leaving Fordow intact, they warn, "risks allowing the Islamic Republic to rebuild and resume its quest for the ultimate weapon of mass destruction."
Fordow's formidable defenses, built into mountains near Qom and encased under "at least 90 metres of limestone, and protected by additional layers of reinforced concrete shielding and other structural defence measures," make it impervious to Israeli capabilities. "There is no credible way that Israel alone can destroy it," the authors state.
Gallant and Ferguson assert that "only one air force has the power to finish off Fordow" - that of the United States. They point to the GBU 57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), a 30,000-pound, 20-foot-long weapon specifically designed for such hardened targets. They explain that "three to eight MOPs would suffice to render Fordow defunct," delivered by American B-2 Spirits.
The authors underscore the urgency of the situation, evoking the ancient Jewish question posed by Hillel the Elder, "If not now, when?" They ask President Trump, "If B-2s and MOPs were not designed for precisely this purpose, then what use are they?"
A nuclear-armed Iran, they argue, would pose a threat far beyond Israel, with missiles capable of reaching "Gulf capitals and Europe." Such a scenario could also trigger "a nuclear arms race in the Gulf."
Destroying Fordow, they conclude, would "create a new equilibrium in the Middle East and re-establish American leadership." They further suggest that this strike should be accompanied by a clear message: "If Iran attempts to target the US or its Gulf allies, it will risk the elimination of its regime."
"This is a rare moment when strategic alignment and operational momentum converge," Gallant and Ferguson emphasize. "It must not be missed."
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)