What to know about bunker-buster bombs unleashed on Iran's Fordo nuclear facility

N inserting itself into Israel's war against Iran, Washington unleashed its massive "bunker-buster" bombs on Iran's Fordo fuel enrichment plant.

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Those bombs were widely seen as the best chance of damaging or destroying Fordo, built deep into a mountain and untouched during Israel's weeklong offensive. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the operation before an official briefing, confirmed their use in Sunday's attack.

The US is the only military capable of dropping the weapons, and the movement of B2 stealth bombers toward Asia on Saturday had signalled possible activity by the US Israeli leaders had made no secret of their hopes that President Donald Trump would join their week-old war against Iran, though they had also suggested they had backup plans for destroying the site.

It remained unclear early Sunday how much damage had been inflicted upon Fordo. The mission could have wide-ranging ramifications, including jeopardizing any chance of Iran engaging in Trump's desired talks on its nuclear programme and dragging the US into another Mideast war.

Here's a closer look.

What is the bunker-buster bomb?

“Bunker buster" is a broad term used to describe bombs that are designed to penetrate deep below the surface before exploding. In this case, it refers to the latest GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb in the American arsenal. The roughly 30,000 pound (13,600 kilogramme precision-guided bomb is designed to attack deeply buried and hardened bunkers and tunnels, according to the US Air Force.