Israel Strikes Iran’s Fordo Nuclear Site as Trump Considers Regime Change

Tensions in the Middle East escalated sharply as Israeli jets struck Iran’s heavily fortified Fordo uranium enrichment facility. Although Iranian authorities confirmed the attack, they reported only surface-level damage, with critical underground centrifuge halls remaining intact. Fordo’s deep-buried design continues to defy conventional strikes, and experts say only U.S. bunker-busting munitions like the GBU-57A/B—deployed via B-2 bombers—could potentially neutralize such hardened targets.

The Fordo strike was part of a broader Israeli offensive across Tehran, including strikes on the Evin prison and key military command centers. Israeli officials described the assault as unprecedented in scale and intensity. These operations are believed to have involved close coordination with the United States, including intelligence sharing and aerial support.

In a parallel political development, former U.S. President Donald Trump announced he would decide within two weeks whether to authorize direct U.S. military intervention in Iran, openly raising the possibility of regime change. His comments marked a significant departure from past U.S. restraint and sparked concern among global powers. Russia expressed deep regret, the EU warned of dangers to global oil trade if the Strait of Hormuz were threatened, and China cautioned against wider regional destabilization. France urged diplomatic solutions and rejected regime change as a viable path to regional peace.

Trump’s calculated pause appears designed to leave room for diplomacy while signaling military readiness. Meanwhile, indirect negotiations between Iran and Western intermediaries continue, with Iran offering potential enrichment rollbacks in exchange for sanctions relief—though distrust remains high.

Sunday’s strikes underscore Israel’s intensifying efforts to degrade Iran’s nuclear capabilities. As military escalation and diplomatic outreach now move in parallel, the coming weeks may prove decisive in determining whether the crisis deepens or de-escalates.

Source- BBC, CNN, The Guardian