Reuters: Will Israel Strike Fordow? Netanyahu Warns Trump: "We Won’t Wait”
As Iran races to shield its nuclear core, Israeli leaders issue a blunt warning to Washington: we may strike Fordow before Trump decides. In a tense call, Netanyahu and top generals clash with U.S. officials over the clock ticking toward war.
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According to sources cited by Reuters, Israel is preparing a multi-stage operation targeting Iran’s underground Fordow nuclear facility. The Israeli Air Force is expected to lead with an airstrike using advanced bunker-busting munitions, similar to those used in the recent strike that eliminated Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, in an effort to penetrate the deeply fortified site.
Following the airstrike, Israeli special forces are reportedly slated to carry out a ground incursion into the area, aiming to secure or further neutralize the facility. The reported plan suggests a high-risk escalation in Israel’s campaign against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, as tensions mount over Tehran’s continued uranium enrichment and the limited timeframe perceived by Israeli leadership for neutralizing the site.
Israeli officials have told the Trump administration that they may act unilaterally against Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility before President Trump’s proposed two-week deadline for a decision on U.S. involvement, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The high-level conversation occurred Thursday, June 20, in what sources described as a “tense” phone call between Israeli and American officials. Participants on the Israeli side included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, according to a security source.
The discussion revealed growing concern in Jerusalem that Iran could use the two-week window to finalize a deal dismantling parts of its nuclear program, potentially shielding Fordow, the crown jewel of its uranium enrichment sites, from future strikes. Israeli officials reportedly stressed that they see a limited window of opportunity to act, citing intelligence assessments and operational readiness.
Fordow, a deeply buried facility dug into a mountainside, is considered virtually unreachable without specialized munitions. While Israel has its own precision strike capabilities, the U.S. is the only country with the 30,000-pound GBU-57 “bunker buster” bomb, deployable via the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
As reported by Reuters, the U.S. recently repositioned B-2 bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri toward Guam, potentially to support future operations in the Middle East. These aircraft are capable of targeting deeply fortified sites such as Fordow.
During the Thursday call, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance reportedly pushed back against the Israeli stance, arguing that the U.S. should not be dragged into a direct military conflict. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also joined the call, according to a security source. A person familiar with the matter in Washington added that while the Israeli demand for faster action was communicated to U.S. officials, it remains unclear whether this specific pressure was conveyed during the call itself.
The dispute reflects broader divisions within the Trump administration and its political base. Some, like Vice President Vance, have urged caution, invoking past U.S. entanglements in Iraq and Afghanistan. Others, including Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime Trump ally, have encouraged aggressive steps to help Israel dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
President Trump, who has campaigned on avoiding “stupid foreign wars,” has expressed growing frustration with Iran’s nuclear progress. Though he has not issued an attack order, his recent rhetoric has taken a sharper tone against Tehran, further raising the stakes.
A U.S. source familiar with the talks said that while President Trump has not yet authorized direct U.S. involvement, Israeli leaders believe immediate action may be necessary regardless of American participation.
As regional tensions rise, Israel’s message to Washington is clear: the clock is ticking, and Jerusalem may not wait for diplomatic efforts to strike.