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Tuesday, June 17, 2025

15-ton mega bomb needed to destroy Iran’s last nuke facility – why Israel can’t deliver

Israel needs a 15-ton ‘bunker buster’ bomb to destroy the last untouched nuclear facility in Iran, but only the US has one.

Such a powerful weapon – the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal – is needed because the target, Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, is built some 300 feet inside a mountain near the city of Qom, two hours south of Tehran.

The heavyweight explosive is known as a GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator and was designed by Boeing for the United States Air Force.

Its huge weight means it can only be delivered with a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber – a jet Israel’s air force does not possess.

The missile cost over $500 million for the US Army to develop, and was built to specifications which would allow it to penetrate deep enough into the Fordow plant to destroy the nuclear centrifuges in the complex, according to a 2013 article in the Wall Street Journal, which said at that time 20 of the bombs had been manufactured for the US military.

If the US does opt to help Israel with this extraordinarily powerful weapon, it will almost certainly turn the nuclear facility, protected by layers of granite and steel, to rubble.

“By weight and kinetic force, the GBU-57A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator is designed to penetrate a certain amount of distance into the ground before it blows,” said Spencer.

“That’s why these bunker busters are called Penetrators. They penetrate the ground before they explode. The explosion is strategically delayed.”

Although the US has sold less powerful bunker buster weapons to Israel, they have declined to share the Massive Ordnance Penetrator with any of its allies, partly to ensure it retains an upper hand, according to various reports.

As to what an explosion from a Massive Ordnance Penetrator would feel like, Spencer can only guess. “I’ve seen 500 pounders, and they’ll shake your teeth when they go off. It’s like an earthquake. This will be much more than that.”

However, minimizing the likelihood of a nuclear explosion or leak, said Spencer, “this [explosion] is pretty contained,” He explained that since the bunker buster explodes so far underground, under such strong armor, it is unlikely to cause a nuclear reaction. Instead of breaking through the surface, rubble would cave in. “The risk is for leakage, not an explosion.”

US intelligence has long agreed Fordow is strategic to disabling the Iranian nuclear program.

“If you don’t get Fordow, you haven’t eliminated their ability to produce weapons-grade material,” Brett McGurk, who served as Middle East coordinator for several American presidents of both parties, recently told the New York Times.

In a less than ideal scenario, a state-of-the-art bunker buster is not the only solution.

It’s also possible, said Spencer, that, without help from the US, Israel could do a jerry rigged attack on Fordow.

“Israel has cornered the market on what they call drilling,” said Spencer. “They drop one bomb that reaches a certain depth, then another and another, at different angles, within seconds, to get to where they want to go. But you put multiple people and multiple aircraft at risk. The GBU is one and done.”

Considering that option, Spencer concluded, “There are many ways to destroy the nuclear program in Iran. But this is the effective and efficient one. It gets to the objective quicker and is the perfect solution.”

https://nypost.com/2025/06/17/world-news/the-15-ton-bunker-buster-which-could-destroy-irans-last-nuclear-facility/

Central banks see further gold accumulation, de-dollarization: WGC survey

Central banks around the world continue to hold favourable expectations for gold, with most looking to add to their reserves over the coming months and even years, an annual survey by the World Gold Council (WGC) showed.

Central banks have been aggressively buying gold, accumulating over 1,000 tonnes in each of the past three years versus an average of 400-500 tonnes in the preceding decade.

These purchases coincided with a blistering gold rally during that period, which saw prices nearly doubling from around $1,800/oz. to the current $3,400 level. This year alone, gold has gained more than 26% and set multiple records, including a new high of $3,500 in mid-April.

Driving the acceleration in central bank purchases and soaring gold prices was an unstable geopolitical landscape — beginning with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — that clouded the overall economic outlook.

Geopolitics a recurring theme

The new WGC survey sheds light on central banks’ decision-making process during turbulent times.

The 2025 edition of the Central Bank Gold Reserves (CBGR) survey drew a total of 73 respondents, the most since the Council began the survey eight years ago. The survey also saw a record-high number of respondents who actively manage their gold reserves at 44%.

According to the survey results, central banks continue to view economic and geopolitical uncertainty as a key factor influencing their decision to accumulate gold, just behind interest rate levels and inflation concerns. Also high on the banks’ list of considerations are tariffs and unexpected shocks.

Most of the respondents cited the precious metal’s performance during times of crisis, alongside its role as a store of value, as the main reasons for adding more gold, the survey showed.

“Gold’s performance during times of crisis, portfolio diversification and inflation hedging are some key themes driving plans to accumulate more gold over the coming year,” the WGC stated.

More gold buying ahead

With that in mind, an overwhelming number of central banks (95%) said they see official gold reserves continuing to rise over the next 12 months, compared to 81% the last survey. Importantly, nearly half (43%) of them now believe their own gold reserves will also increase over the same period, more than any in previous surveys.

Over a longer horizon, about three-quarters of the banks (76%) expect their gold holdings to be higher in five years, an increase from 69% seen last year.

At the same time, about the same number of banks (73%) are prepared to see moderate or significantly lower US dollar holdings within their global reserves.

In terms of vaulting locations, the Bank of England remains the most popular amongst respondents (64%).

“The trends uncovered in our survey suggest that central banks continue to recognize the benefits of an allocation to gold, and indicate that their demand for gold will likely remain healthy for the foreseeable future,” the Council said.

https://www.mining.com/central-banks-see-further-gold-accumulation-de-dollarization-wgc-survey/

Iron Ore Prices Tumble To 9-Month Low, Citi & Goldman Ratchet Down Price Target

Iron ore, widely seen as a real-time barometer of China's economic pulse, is flashing fresh warning signs. Prices slid for a fourth straight session in Singapore, dropping below $93 a ton and hitting their lowest level in nine months.

China, the world's largest consumer of iron ore, imports more than 70% of globally traded volumes. That gives iron ore prices an outsized role as a proxy for Chinese economic momentum, and the latest trade data suggests the world's second-largest economy is still struggling to gain momentum, remaining mired in deflation.

At the start of the week, figures from China showed that nationwide steel output in May declined on a daily basis compared to April. Output was down about 7% from a year ago, marking the weakest May since 2018.

"Steel demand in China is likely to remain weak over the coming months over the upcoming seasonal lull," Citigroup analysts wrote in a note, slashing iron ore forecasts.

They noted that China's property market weakness has yet to show a meaningful turnaround while manufacturing continues to face headwinds. As a result, their three-month price forecast was lowered to $90 a ton from $100, and the six-to-twelve-month target was revised down to $85 from $90.

In a separate note, Goldman analyst James McGeoch provided a gloomy outlook for iron ore by ratcheting down price targets...

Not taking a lot of lead, notable that China has been a very very quiet tape, waiting, watching….. clearly Iron ore at $93.00 stands out, when I talk to trading they suggest the most convincing trade is further curve flattening out on back of mounted physical selling pressure in front months and continuous consumer hedging in the back end of the curve, Both miners and phys traders are selling tonnes aggressively, yes there is a flat price call that you can play the $90-95 range, however it's a downward sloping trend. Recall start o year we kind of liked this $100-110 range (china infra seen as supportive and property policy creating a trough), that became $95-105, which became $90-100 (as infra in particular didn't see the post winter pickup we expected) and its now $90-95 range.

McGeoch pointed to sliding steel prices in China.

China's steel exports remain elevated.

The key takeaway is that China's subdued iron ore market reflects the broader economic downturn, with persistent weakness in the property sector and no meaningful signs of recovery.

https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/iron-ore-prices-tumble-9-month-low-citi-ratchets-downs-price-target

Kraft Heinz Will No Longer Launch Products In US With Artificial Colors

by Naveen Athrappully via The Epoch Times,

Kraft Heinz said on Tuesday that it will not launch any new products with artificial colors in the United States and will remove the additives from its existing product portfolio by the end of 2027.

The company added that, by net sales, nearly 90 percent of its U.S. products are already free of food, drug, and cosmetic (FD&C) colors.

For the remaining products, the company will remove colors “not critical to the consumer experience,” replace them with natural alternatives, or create new colors and shades when alternatives are not available.

The company’s June 17 announcement follows a call by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), along with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to phase out all petroleum-based synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply.

“For too long, some food producers have been feeding Americans petroleum-based chemicals without their knowledge or consent,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in an April 22 statement.

Kennedy said that the “poisonous compounds” offered no nutritional benefits and adversely impacted children’s health and development. He said the department was working with the industry to get rid of the “toxic dyes” from the food supply.

FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said that the agency asked food companies to substitute artificial colors with “natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,” citing an epidemic of childhood diabetes, obesity, depression, and ADHD.

In Tuesday’s statement, Heinz said the company had used FD&C colors since it had a “longstanding history of approval” from the FDA.

Kraft Heinz North America President Pedro Navio said that most of his company’s products use natural or no colors.

“In fact, we removed artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors from our beloved Kraft Mac & Cheese back in 2016,” Navio said. “Our iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup has never had artificial dyes – the red color comes simply from the world’s best tomatoes. Above all, we are focused on providing nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting food for Americans and this is a privilege we don’t take lightly.”

Companies, including cereal manufacturer WK Kellogg, meatpacker Tyson Foods, and Walmart’s Sam’s Club, have announced plans to remove artificial food dyes from their product lines following the HHS announcement.

Dye Ban Opposition

The Consumer Brands Association, which represents manufacturers, said food colors have been widely used in the supply chain because they were deemed safe.

“The ingredients used in America’s food supply have been rigorously studied following an objective science and risk-based evaluation process and have been demonstrated to be safe,” the association said in an April 22 statement in response to the HHS decision to ban food dyes. “As we increase the use of alternative ingredients, food and beverage companies will not sacrifice science or the safety of our products.”

The association also asked the HHS and FDA to develop a coordinated set of rules when setting food regulations.

“A state patchwork of differing laws creates confusion for consumers, limits access to everyday goods, deters innovation, and increases costs at the grocery store,” it said.

The International Association of Color Manufacturers (IACM), representing the interests of the color additives industry, said in a statement that “despite common misconceptions, synthetic (FD&C) colors are approved and continue to be used worldwide, including in Europe.”

The IACM’s website lists Fast Green No. 3 as approved for use in the United States but not authorized for food use in the European Union or the UK.

FD&C Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5, Yellow No. 6, Quinoline Yellow, Azorubine (Carmoisine), and Ponceau 4R (Cochineal Red A) are listed as being subject to a warning on European labels.

Proposing reformulation within 2026 “ignores scientific evidence and underestimates the complexity of food production. This process is neither simple nor immediate, and the resulting supply disruptions will limit access to familiar, affordable grocery items. IACM and its members remain committed to science-based dialogue on color additives,” the IACM said.

According to the HHS, authorization for two synthetic food colorings—Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B—will be revoked within the coming months.

Six dyes—FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1, and FD&C Blue No. 2—will be eliminated from the food supply by the end of next year. FD&C Red No. 3 will also be removed.

Four new natural color additives will be authorized soon, and the agency has partnered with the National Institutes of Health to conduct comprehensive research on how food additives impact children’s health and development.

Health officials said the administration had not yet made a formal deal with corporations on food dyes.

“There are a lot of tools at our disposal,” Makary said. “Let’s start in a friendly way.”

https://www.zerohedge.com/food/kraft-heinz-will-no-longer-launch-products-us-artificial-colors

A Father Must Have a Code

By J.B. Shurk

At the beginning of the twenty-first century, we had a little “Golden Age” of television when manly shows with manly characters briefly flourished. Sopranos, Band of Brothers, The Wire, The Shield, Deadwood, Rome, Generation Kill, Justified, Boardwalk Empire, Breaking Bad, and the first season of True Detective broke the network mold and told dark, gritty stories in ways that had never been shown on a television screen.

I found myself in a gathering with a Sopranos writer once, and someone asked him why the show was so successful. Without hesitating, he answered that HBO had given the writers wide latitude in creating something new. Like a brass section playing jazz, those guys just let their creative talents flow. That’s why a lot of these shows have more in common with great literature than with the primetime hits of previous decades. As cable television experimented with original programming for the first time, many of the companies just let the writers write. The result was that some of the most memorable male characters in television appeared.

Some very manly movies came out in theaters during this period, too. As audiences applauded the new “Golden Age” of television, studios looked to emulate that success on the big screen. There Will Be Blood, The Departed, and No Country for Old Men are three that come to mind, but there were many manly films at the turn of the century. There was a fleeting push in Hollywood to green-light projects that read as if they had come from the typewriters of novelists such as Elmore Leonard and Cormac McCarthy. The content that came out in the aughts included some meaty masterpieces that are far better than anything out today.

When Obama entered the White House, the era of masculine television gradually ended. Popular shows that featured male-driven storylines were flipped on their heads. Mad Men started as a 1960s tale about hard-drinking men in the often misogynistic world of New York City advertising; it ended with all the women in charge and the men in various stages of collapse. Black Sails began as a brutal story about early-eighteenth-century pirates set decades before Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island; eventually, the violent and feared Captain Flint is revealed to be a heartbroken man mourning the loss of his gay lover, and several of the lowly Bahamian prostitutes wind up managing the islands’ business. Most of the shows during the last decade consistently show men as feminine, broken, and weak.

That doesn’t seem like a coincidence. Just as Obama, Eric Holder, and their Democrat friends have been desperate to control what Americans publicly express and debate on social media platforms, they couldn’t have been happy with some of Hollywood’s manly-man content that arrived at the beginning of the century.

The shows mentioned above do not portray men more positively than they exist in real life. They are not meant to exclusively showcase manly character and virtue in their various forms. They tell the stories of some bad dudes who do some bad things. But they do depict men behaving in authentically masculine ways. As Matthew McConaughey’s character says in True Detective, “The world needs bad men. We keep the other bad men from the door.”

That is one message the Democrat Party and their Marxist-globalist allies around the world don’t want men hearing. It’s the old “Sheepdog” philosophy that warriors embrace by directing their capacity for violence toward the hero’s path. It’s the creed that motivates a man to intervene when he sees a stranger being victimized. Healthy societies produce masculine men who are not afraid to put themselves in danger, so that others might live. Unhealthy societies demoralize and castrate men, until no heroes exist at all.

Ask yourself if the global “elites” who have been constructing a technocratic surveillance state around citizens for decades want heroes in this world. Do they want men who are unafraid to tell government officials when they have abused their powers? Or do they want men who drop to one knee and do what bureaucratic tyrants say? Do they want fearless men who will fight for their freedoms? Or do they want fearful men who blindly obey? Do they want men who will protect their families at all costs — even if doing so means they must sacrifice themselves? Or do the global “elites” in this world prefer men who walk away from their families without giving the matter a second thought?

You know the answers. When it comes to the exercise of government power, real men are a constant threat. If they refuse to cover their faces with cheap paper masks, then COVID mandates fail. If they refuse to let boys beat up their daughters in competitive sports, then “transgender” delusions are relegated to the psych ward. If they refuse to allow government welfare programs to play “daddy” to their families, then Marxist Democrats can’t turn children against their parents. If they refuse to bow down to the strictures of “political correctness,” then critical thinking skills are passed from one generation to the next. If they refuse to embrace moral relativity as a worldview, then they remind all those who meet them that honor and virtue are real. If they refuse to hand over their weapons just because leftists find self-defense “scary,” then they remain stubborn sheepdogs guarding the flock. Tyrants don’t like real men because real men have a code that includes this promise: Not on my watch.

There’s a memorable scene in the first season of The Wire when flawed but earnest homicide detective William “Bunk” Moreland is interviewing a dangerous man named Omar Little. Omar makes a living robbing drug dealers on the streets of Baltimore. He’s a modern-day highwayman who targets other criminals and avoids civilians. When “Bunk” asks Omar why he’s willing to testify against a killer from his neighborhood, Omar tells him that he’s done plenty of bad things but never hurt anyone who didn’t have it coming. Peering back at him, Bunk nods in agreement and acknowledges, “A man must have a code.” “Oh, no doubt,” Omar replies, as both police detective and criminal realize that they have much in common.

If I had to speculate why all the manly shows at the beginning of this century disappeared, I would guess that the political left — who have long maintained a monopoly over news, music, and entertainment — began to regret producing series that reminded men that they must have a code. In those gritty dramas, there are probably more bad men than good men. But almost all of them live by some code that defines who they are. That code doesn’t come from the government or some contingent of “woke” culture police. It comes from deep inside the men who operate as individuals with purpose. They are not merely shaped in this world; they are characters who shape their world.

What word do we use to describe a person with the ability to effect his own will? We call that person “powerful.” A farmer who clears and cultivates the land exerts power over it. A husband and father who protects his family is a powerful man. A person whose virtuous character is recognized by others is a powerful member of the community. And when a man’s will is intentionally directed to advance God’s will here on Earth, His power provides that man with immeasurable strength.

Can you see why manly men are a problem for Big Government? When they follow a code — especially one imbued with the purpose of God Almighty — government power is small by comparison. And when fathers teach their children to live by that same code, tyrants never stand a chance. We don’t need television shows to remember that. We need only pray, teach, and act.

https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/06/a_father_must_have_a_code.html

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