Washington, Oct. 15 (SANA) The US military has developed plans for possible additional strikes on Iran that could involve the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), known as the “mother of all bombs,” if President Donald Trump orders combat operations to resume, CNN reported Thursday, citing US officials familiar with the matter. Reuters said it could not immediately verify the report.
The potential deployment of the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal would mark a significant escalation in the conflict, although questions remain over its effectiveness against Iran’s heavily fortified nuclear facilities, according to CNN.
The report said military planners had included the weapon in options targeting Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain, where the United States and Israel believe Iran has stored components of its nuclear program.
However, officials familiar with the planning discussions questioned whether the bomb could penetrate deeply enough to destroy underground facilities. The MOAB is designed to produce a massive blast over a wide area rather than penetrate deeply buried targets, CNN reported.
Its use against infrastructure near populated areas could also raise concerns about civilian casualties because of its extensive blast radius.
The reported plans come as the Trump administration weighs options for ending the conflict amid stalled negotiations with Tehran. CNN reported that advisers had discussed possible military actions that could allow Washington to present an outcome as a symbolic victory while withdrawing US forces.
A White House official told CNN that President Trump keeps all options open to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon. A Pentagon official said the department plans for a wide range of operational scenarios in accordance with presidential and defense secretary directives.
The reports do not indicate that Trump has decided to use the MOAB against Iran. Its potential deployment remains a reported military option, not a confirmed order.
US weighs ‘mother of all bombs’ in potential Iran strikes
