New 'Bunker Buster Act' Authorizes Staging Massive U.S. Munitions in Israel Under Strict 'Dual Key' Control

The newly introduced Bunker Buster Act of 2025 is focused on ramping up military deterrence against Iran’s nuclear program, giving the President explicit authority to prepare Israel for contingencies involving deeply buried nuclear facilities. This isn't just a strongly worded letter from Congress; it’s a plan to stage serious military hardware and infrastructure overseas.

The Nuclear Clock and Regional Tensions

Congress is pretty clear on why they’re doing this: they see Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile growing rapidly—now holding over 6,200 kilograms, including 142.1 kg enriched to 60% as of May 2024. They point out that 60% is just a small technical step from weapons-grade 90% uranium. Beyond the nuclear issue, the bill cites Iran's funding and direction of groups like Hamas and the Houthis, highlighting the regional instability caused by attacks on shipping and missile launches into Israel. This section sets the stage: the diplomatic path is stalled, and the nuclear threat is escalating, making military preparedness the focus.

Staging the Big Guns: Infrastructure and the MOP

The core of the bill, Section 4, authorizes the President to take several concrete steps, but only if the Israeli government asks for help and the President declares it vital for U.S. national security. If those boxes are checked, the U.S. can start building out military infrastructure in Israel. This means longer runways capable of handling aircraft that carry the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP)—that’s the military’s biggest conventional bunker-busting bomb—and setting up storage and basing locations for these planes and munitions. Essentially, the U.S. is authorized to build a forward operating base specifically designed for hitting deeply buried targets.

The 'Dual Key' Catch for Advanced Weapons

This is where things get interesting and complicated. The U.S. can store MOPs and related munitions in Israel for U.S. use. However, transferring these weapons directly to Israeli custody is only authorized under four strict conditions. Two key conditions are that Iran must be violating its nuclear non-proliferation commitments (like limiting IAEA inspector access) and that Israel must have no other way to destroy the targets. Crucially, any transfer requires a “dual key” control system. This means that even if Israel had the MOPs, the U.S. President, through the Secretary of Defense, would have to approve their deployment before they could be used. For those of us who pay taxes, this means we’re funding the infrastructure build-out and storing these highly expensive, specialized munitions overseas, while the U.S. retains final approval on their use.

What This Means for the Taxpayer and the Big Picture

On one hand, this Act formalizes a strong deterrent message, backed by tangible capabilities, which could stabilize the region by making the cost of pursuing a nuclear weapon prohibitively high for Iran. On the other hand, staging advanced, high-impact weapons and building specialized infrastructure is not cheap, meaning U.S. taxpayers will bear the cost of this significant military investment. While Section 5 explicitly states this Act is not an authorization for military force against Iran, the practical effect of building the runways and storing the bombs is that it lowers the logistical threshold for military action. It makes the option of a strike much easier to execute, even if the legal authorization still needs to come from Congress later. It's a massive preparation effort that moves the pieces significantly closer to the board.