Although the 12-day war between the U.S. and Iran ended on June 24, 2025, following historic American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities using GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs, these powerful ‘bunker buster’ weapons remain a focal point of geopolitical discussion. The U.S. Air Force’s operation, codenamed ‘Midnight Hammer,’ which successfully targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, has recently resurfaced in political discourse within the U.S. Congress after Tehran admitted significant damage to its program.
In response to ongoing concerns about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, a bipartisan group of American lawmakers introduced a new legislative proposal on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, titled the ‘Bunker Buster Act.’ The bill seeks to authorize the transfer of GBU-57 MOP bombs to Israel, along with the necessary aircraft capable of deploying them, to ensure Israel remains prepared for any potential escalation involving Iran.
The legislation was introduced by Democratic Congressman Josh Gottheimer from New Jersey and co-sponsored by Republican Congressman Mike Lawler from New York. It grants the U.S. president the authority to supply Israel with MOP bombs and B-2 stealth bombers should Iran attempt to resume or accelerate its nuclear weapons development.
Currently, only the United States possesses B-2 stealth bombers, the only aircraft capable of carrying and deploying the massive MOP ordnance. This bill aims to empower the U.S. administration to take action ensuring that Israel is fully equipped to deter Iranian aggression.
In a joint statement, Gottheimer and Lawler emphasized that the bill was introduced to give the U.S. president the ability to transfer bunker-busting technology and strategic assets to Israel if Iran nears the threshold of developing a nuclear weapon. They also highlighted that the goal of the act is to preserve Israel’s qualitative military edge in the region while maintaining a strong deterrent capability against Iran.
It is worth noting that this isn’t the first time Gottheimer has proposed such legislation—similar bills were introduced in both 2022 and 2024 but failed to pass the House of Representatives.