The U.S. military has developed plans for potential strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure that could include deploying the “Mother of All Bombs,” the largest non-nuclear bomb in the American arsenal, if President Donald Trump authorizes renewed attacks, according to a report Thursday.
The Pentagon has prepared additional strike options at Trump’s direction, including the possible use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb, CNN reported, citing “multiple U.S. officials familiar” with the planning.
One source said the proposed targets include “a lot of energy infrastructure,” with potential strikes envisioned before an American military withdrawal from the region.
Another said the plans contemplate using the massive weapon against Iranian nuclear facilities, including Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified underground complex near Natanz that has drawn scrutiny over concerns Tehran could use it to conceal nuclear activities.
However, military officials have raised questions about whether the bomb, designed to devastate large surface areas rather than penetrate deeply buried structures, could effectively destroy facilities protected by hundreds of feet of granite.
“The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” a source familiar with the plans told the outlet.
“It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead,” the source added.
Unlike the specialized bunker-busting bombs previously deployed against Iranian nuclear facilities, the approximately 21,600-pound MOAB is designed primarily for widespread blast effects
