Trump caution on Iran strike linked to doubts over ‘bunker buster’ bomb, officials say

Exclusive: the likelihood of a successful US strike on the Iranian nuclear facility buried deep underground at Fordow is a topic of deep contention, defense officials say

Donald Trump has suggested to defense officials it would make sense for the US to launch strikes against Iran only if the so-called bunker buster" bomb was guaranteed to destroy the critical uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, according to people familiar with the deliberations.

Trump was told that dropping the GBU-57s, a 13.6-tonne (30,000lb) bomb would effectively eliminate Fordow but he does not appear to be fully convinced, the people said, and has held off authorizing strikes as he also awaits the possibility that the threat of US involvement would lead Iran to talks.