What is Fordow and why is this nuclear fortress Israel's top target?

SPECIAL REPORT - BRIEFING

Buried beneath 90 meters of solid rock and ringed by layers of air defenses, Iran’s Fordow enrichment facility isn’t just another nuclear site - it’s a symbol.

Buried deep beneath a mountain near the Iranian city of Qom, the Fordow enrichment facility is a purpose-built stronghold for military-grade enrichment, described by many as an “impregnable fortress”.

Satellite image of the Fordow Nuclear Plant in Iran.

To Israeli defense planners, it’s akin to Mount Doom: a nuclear bastion wrapped in air defences and engineered to withstand even the most advanced aerial strikes. While the recently-targeted Natanz facility is larger and more widely known, Fordow is the facility designed to survive. It represents not only Iran’s technical persistence, but its strategic intent - to build a nuclear program resilient enough to endure a full-scale attack and still retain breakout capability.

As tensions escalate, Fordow has become the focal point in a broader Israeli campaign that has systematically targeted Iran’s nuclear infrastructure - but its unique location and strategic value make it a far tougher nut to crack.