CNN: US Weighs Using Its Most Powerful Non-Nuclear Bomb Against Iran
CNN reports that the US military has drawn up new strike plans against Iran that include the MOAB, the largest non-nuclear bomb in the American arsenal. The plans would apply if President Donald Trump ordered hostilities to resume.
The US military has developed new strike plans against Iran that include the possible use of the GBU-43/B MOAB, nicknamed the "mother of all bombs", CNN reported on Thursday, 15 October, citing several American officials familiar with the matter. The plans target Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities and could be carried out if US President Donald Trump orders combat operations to resume, either before or after the US midterm elections in early November.
The MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal. CNN's sources say using it in a war against Iran would mark a significant escalation.
What the plans involve
According to CNN, Trump and his advisers have spent several months discussing options that could bring the war to a "final" end, at least in terms of public messaging, aware of how unpopular the conflict has become among Americans. One source said Trump instructed the military to prepare additional strikes on Iranian targets, including "a significant part of the energy infrastructure", and to consider using the MOAB. Another source said the military plans for strikes on Iranian nuclear sites also explicitly provide for the bomb.
In recent months Trump has repeatedly threatened to hit a site called "Pickaxe Mountain", where the US and Israel believe Tehran stores components of its nuclear programme. A further official noted that planners are drawing up a wide range of options for politicians. Harder targets, including those deep underground, require larger bombs, and the MOAB is the biggest of them.
Experts are doubtful
Many experts question whether the MOAB would be effective against deeply buried Iranian nuclear facilities. The GPS-guided bomb can destroy an area equal to nine city blocks, but it probably lacks the ability to penetrate deeply enough into a surface reinforced by layers of granite, the sources said.
The MOAB weighs about 9,800 kg and was developed during the Iraq war. It is an air-burst weapon that detonates before hitting the ground, producing a powerful blast in all directions.
