The US military has developed new options for strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites that include the potential first use against Iran of the GBU-43/B, known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” if President Donald Trump orders renewed attacks, several sources told CNN.
The GBU-43/B, or MOAB, is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal and weighs 9.7 tons. Its deployment against Iran would mark a significant escalation.
One source told CNN that President Trump ordered the military to prepare additional strike packages covering “a lot of energy infrastructure” and the possible deployment of a MOAB.
According to the source, the plans described an attack taking place “prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility),” indicating that additional strikes could be followed by an attempt to declare victory and quickly withdraw forces.
Separate military planning for potential attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities also specifically includes the MOAB, a second source told CNN. Among the possible targets is Pickaxe Mountain, where the US and Israel believe Tehran has stored components of its nuclear program.
President Trump has repeatedly threatened in recent months to strike Pickaxe Mountain, including after full combat operations were paused earlier this year. He has continued to say his objective is preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“The war against Iran will end very soon. The moment I want it to end, it will happen. They will never have nuclear weapons,” Trump said.
Although President Trump publicly said he would not take new action before the midterm elections, several advisers privately said they did not know whether that position was definitive or could change before election day.
The new strike options could therefore be considered either before or after the midterms, according to CNN’s sources.
The sources said a MOAB strike would have devastating effects on the area it hit but would likely impact only the surface. Its large blast radius could also raise concerns about civilian casualties if the weapon targeted Iranian infrastructure near populated areas or non-military sites.
