The United States is considering using its largest non-nuclear bomb against Iran’s energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities if President Donald Trump orders fresh military strikes, CNN has reported.
According to the report, the proposed military operation could involve the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “mother of all bombs”.
The report said Trump had directed the development of additional strike plans targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, with the MOAB among the weapons under consideration.
The plans reportedly include the potential use of the bomb against Iranian nuclear facilities, including a site known as Pickaxe Mountain.
However, no decision to carry out the proposed attacks has been reported.
Sources told CNN that the administration does not comment on sensitive military plans that may or may not exist, adding that Trump “keeps all options on the table” to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
The MOAB weighs approximately 9.8 tonnes and is designed to produce a powerful blast over a wide area rather than penetrate deeply buried targets.
Its possible use against Iran’s nuclear facilities has raised questions about its effectiveness against installations protected by thick layers of underground rock.
One person familiar with the military planning described the weapon as suitable for clearing a large area but said it was “definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead”.
The bomb’s extensive blast radius could also raise concerns about civilian casualties if it were deployed against infrastructure close to populated areas.
The United States first used the MOAB in combat in April 2017, during Trump’s first administration, when it struck an Islamic State tunnel complex in Afghanistan.
The report added that US military planners had developed other options as the Trump administration considers ways to bring the conflict with Iran to an end.
Trump has repeatedly maintained that Iran must not be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon and has indicated that further US military action remains a possibility.