The United States military has developed strike plans against Iran that include using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), colloquially known as the “mother of all bombs,” the largest non-nuclear weapon in the US arsenal, CNN reported on Thursday.
According to CNN, multiple US officials said that the plans called for the MOAB to be used against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain.
Another source said that the phrasing used in the plan was that the attack would come “prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility),” meaning that the US might strike Iran and then immediately pull its forces out of the region.
Several of US President Donald Trump’s advisors have also told CNN that, despite Trump’s claims that he would not take further action against Iran before the US midterms, it remains unclear whether he will change his mind before Election Day.
The potential deployment of the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal would mark a significant escalation in the conflict, although officials familiar with military planning discussions told CNN that questions remain over its effectiveness in achieving Washington’s strategic objectives.
According to several sources, the MOAB likely would be unable to penetrate deep below the ground, where Iranian nuclear facilities, such as Pickaxe Mountain, are believed to be.
“The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” one source familiar with military planning discussions around Iran told CNN. “It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.”
The source said the MOAB’s main tactical advantage in this scenario would be its psychological effect on Iran.
“POTUS has unfortunately put himself in a situation where he is almost compelled to do something and, without the ammunition designed to penetrate that level… you have to look at psychological effects for which the MOAB is well-equipped,” the source said.
When asked about the plan, a White House official told CNN that “President Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” adding that they do not comment on sensitive military plans.
A Pentagon official told CNN that it “plans for a wide range of operational scenarios to execute Presidential and Secretary‑level direction and to ensure mission success in any operational environment.”
Reuters contributed to this report.