US Considers ‘Mother of All Bombs’ for Potential Strikes on Iran’s Energy and Nuclear Sites

The United States is reportedly considering deploying its largest non-nuclear bomb against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities if President Donald Trump authorises renewed military strikes, according to CNN.

The report says US military planners have included the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “mother of all bombs”, among the weapons being considered for a possible operation against Iran.

The proposed plans reportedly include strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities, including an underground site known as Pickaxe Mountain. However, no decision to launch the proposed attacks has been reported.

Sources cited by CNN said the administration does not comment on sensitive military plans that may or may not exist. They added that Trump continues to keep all options available as the United States seeks to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Weighing approximately 9.8 tonnes, the MOAB is designed to deliver a powerful blast across a wide area rather than penetrate deeply buried targets. Its possible use against Iran’s nuclear facilities has raised questions about whether it could effectively damage installations protected by thick layers of underground rock.

One person familiar with the military planning described the weapon as effective for clearing a large area but said it was “definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead”. Its extensive blast radius could also raise concerns about civilian casualties if it were used against infrastructure close to populated areas.

The United States first used the MOAB in combat in April 2017, during Trump’s first administration. The bomb struck an Islamic State tunnel complex in Afghanistan. CNN’s report also said US military planners had developed other options as the administration considers ways to bring the conflict with Iran to an end.

Trump has repeatedly maintained that Iran must not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon and has indicated that further US military action remains possible. For now, the reported plans remain under consideration, with no confirmed decision to carry out the proposed strikes.