A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday that, if passed, would authorize the transfer of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers and GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) to Israel.
The bill—titled the “Bunker Buster Act”—was introduced by Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Mike Lawler (R-NY). It builds on legislation first introduced last year, with the new provision adding the B-2 aircraft to the weapons package. A similar bill, H.R. 7148, was introduced in 2022 but failed to advance.
The proposal would condition the transfer of the aircraft and weapons on confirmation by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), or “other credible sources,” that Iran is actively pursuing nuclear weapons development. Analysts have noted that the phrase “other credible sources” would likely include Israeli intelligence, which played a significant role in prompting U.S. President Donald Trump’s support for Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this year.
In April, the United States used B-2 bombers to drop 14 GBU-57 MOPs on Iran’s Fordow underground nuclear facility in a rare and highly publicized escalation.
If approved, the bill would mark an unprecedented transfer of one of the U.S. military’s most advanced and sensitive weapons platforms. The U.S. Air Force currently operates only 19 B-2 bombers, each costing over $2 billion. The GBU-57 MOPs—capable of penetrating reinforced underground bunkers—cost approximately $20 million per unit, with the U.S. believed to have had only 20 to 30 in stock prior to the recent operation in Iran.
The legislation does not address key logistical challenges, including the time and resources needed to train Israeli pilots and ground crews or the extensive upgrades required to accommodate the B-2’s unique operational needs at Israeli air bases.
Historically, efforts to authorize such transfers of high-tech U.S. military hardware to foreign governments have failed due to cost, security, and political concerns. However, given the recent regional instability and the presence of a staunchly pro-Israel administration in Washington, the bill’s prospects for debate—and possibly a vote—may be higher than in previous years.