15/10/2026
Share:
15/10/2026
Share:
WASHINGTON, Oct 15: The US military has developed new strike plans for Iran that include the possible use of its largest non-nuclear bomb against energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities if President Donald Trump orders renewed attacks, CNN reported Thursday, citing US officials and people familiar with the planning.
The plans reportedly include the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” a weapon designed to deliver an enormous blast over a wide area.
According to CNN, one source said Trump had ordered additional strike packages covering a range of targets, including energy infrastructure, with the MOAB among the potential options. Another source said plans involving Iranian nuclear facilities, including the deeply buried site known as Pickaxe Mountain, also considered the weapon.
However, the report does not indicate that Trump has made a decision to authorize these strikes or that the MOAB will be used against Iran.
A White House official 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 obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Questions over effectiveness against underground facilities
Weighing approximately 21,600 pounds (9.8 metric tonnes), the MOAB is designed to produce a massive blast rather than penetrate deeply buried, hardened targets.
People familiar with the reported planning questioned whether the weapon could destroy nuclear facilities buried deep beneath rock at sites such as Pickaxe Mountain. One source described the MOAB as suitable for clearing a large area but not designed as a deep-penetration weapon.
Its extensive blast radius could also raise concerns about civilian casualties if the bomb were used against energy infrastructure or other targets near populated areas.
The United States first used the MOAB in combat in April 2017, when it struck an Islamic State tunnel and cave complex in Afghanistan during Trump's first presidency.
Iran nuclear facilities remain a potential target
Pickaxe Mountain has emerged as a potential target amid continuing US concerns over Iran's nuclear programme. The deeply buried facility has drawn attention because of questions about whether conventional bunker-busting weapons could reach installations protected by substantial layers of rock.
CNN has previously reported on Trump's threats to strike the site and the uncertainty surrounding the effectiveness of military action against such deeply buried facilities.
The latest reported plans also include options targeting Iranian energy infrastructure, suggesting that US military planners are examining a range of possible operations should the administration decide to resume or expand its attacks.
The White House has not publicly confirmed the reported strike packages, and the potential use of the MOAB remains an unconfirmed option rather than an announced military decision.
