All about bunker buster bombs ‘Bunker buster’ is a broad term to describe bombs that penetrate deep below the surface before exploding B-2 Spirit stealth bomber: It can carry a payload of 18,000 kg but the US Air Force has tested a total weight of 27,200 kg The roughly 13,600 kilogram precision-guided bomb can attack deeply buried and hardened bunkers and tunnels chennai l Monday l June 23, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Iran can have reactors, but can’t enrich uranium: Rubio No reports of radiation from Iran, says IAEA chief 80 injured in Israel as Iran fires volley of missiles Iran will be allowed to operate nuclear power plants but not enrich its own fuel, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi said the Iranian regulatory authorities have reported no increase in off-site radiation levels Iran fired a barrage of missiles against Israel, targeting Ben Gurion Airport, and other key targets. According to Israeli media, over 80 were injured TRUMPFIRE ON IRAN Nuclear SITES key sites in iran hit by the U.S. Natanz Israeli attacks had already damaged the country’s largest uranium enrichment centre In this case, it refers to the GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb that US used to bomb Iran’s three key nuclear sites Iran Fordo Bunkerbuster bombs were dropped on Iran's most critical nuclear site A merican strikes I sraeli strikes since June 13 Isfahan Near-bomb-grade nuclear fuel is reportedly stored here U.S. bombs Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan ‘obliterated’ them, claims Trump Iran says ‘a very big red line’ crossed, warns of ‘dangerous consequences’ world leaders call for calm A g e n c i e s @ Dubai/Washington/Jerusalem AFter waiting on the sidelines for days, the US on Sunday joined Israel’s war against Iran, bombing three of the country’s major nuclear sites using the rarely deployed GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs and the powerful Tomahawk cruise missiles. “Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace,” US President Donald Trump said after the strikes. He said Tehran must now make peace or brace for more attacks. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed that attacks took place on the Fordo and Natanz enrichment facilities as well as the Isfahan nuclear site. Both Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said there were no immediate signs of radioactive contamination around the sites. Iran reacted sharply to the attack, saying the US crossed ‘a very big red line’ and warned that there will be ‘dangerous consequences’ and ‘far- reaching implications’. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hit out at the US, saying the attack revealed it was the “main factor behind” Israel’s military campaign in the Islamic republic. Vowing to defend itself at all costs, Iran fired another volley of missiles at Israel, injuring scores of people and damaging buildings. “There is no red line that they have not crossed. And the last one, and the most dangerous one, happened only last night. They crossed a very big red line by attacking nu- Iran dials India, Modi calls for de-escalation New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Sunday. The 45-minute call, initiated by President Pezeshkian following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, included a detailed briefing on the evolving situation. “India reiterates its call for immediate de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy as the way forward and for early restoration of regional peace, security and stability,” Modi said. clear facilities,” said Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. The foreign minister said he would soon fly to Moscow to hold discussions with Russia. “We enjoy a strategic partnership and we always consult with each other and coordinate our positions,” he said, referring to Russia. If US claims that the nuclear sites have been damaged beyond repair are confirmed, it could mark the end of for Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s ambitious plan to transform the Islamic Republic into a greater regional power that holds enriched nuclear material a step away from weapons-grade. The developments have caused fears of the conflict intensifying and spreading wider. While the Trump administration said it still wanted to resume diplomatic talks with Iran, Tehran said the time for diplomacy had passed and that it would now do the needful to defend itself. Meanwhile, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the Trump administration does not seek a regime change in Iran and urged Iranian leaders to seek peace.  P9 It’s believed to be able to penetrate about 61 metres below the surface before exploding, and the bombs can be dropped one after another, effectively drilling deeper and deeper with each successive blast. graphic: Sourav roy Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace Weight 13,608 kg Length 20 feet Donald Trump, US prez How tough a target is Fordo nuke site Fordo is Iran’s second nuclear enrichment facility after Natanz. In addition to being 80 metres underneath, it is protected by Iranian and Russian missiles Buzz on closure of Strait of Hormuz Agencies This aggression showed that America is the main factor behind the Zionist regime’s hostile actions against Iran Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian president Amid the escalating tensions with Israel and the US, Iran’s parliament has approved the plan to close the Strait of Hormuz—the only sea passage from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean and is one of the world’s most strategically important choke points—Iran’s Press TV reported on Sunday . The proposal will now go to the Supreme National Security Council, headed by a nominee of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will take the final call, it added. According to estimates, around 20% of the world’s oil and gas moves through the Strait of Hormuz. If Iran closes the strait—hich handles around 20 million barrels of crude oil per day—it could send global oil prices skyrocketing. CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ Door-to-door verification of voters in Bihar m u k e s h r a n j a n @ New Delhi WITH an eye on ensuring greater accuracy in electoral rolls in Bihar where assembly polls are due later this year, the Election Commission on Sunday announced that it was contemplating an intensive house-tohouse verification during the revision of the voter list in the state. Official sources said the move is aimed at freeing the electoral rolls of errors, if any . Officials pointed out that concerns have been raised by various civil society organisations, political parties and others persistently over the inclusion or deletion of names in the electoral rolls. Several parties, including the Congress, have accused the poll authority of fudging data to help the BJP . A source said, “The ECI has repeatedly emphasized that it is committed to ensuring that only genuine and eligible citizens are enrolled in the electoral rolls.” express read Murugan meet: Pawan slams ‘fake secularists’ MADURAI: Speaking at the ‘Muruga Bhakthargal Maanadu’ in Madurai on Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan slammed “fake secularists” for targeting the Hindu faith in the name of freedom of expression. The conference organised by the Hindu Munnani was attended by AIADMK and BJP leaders | P4