The United States is reportedly considering using its largest non-nuclear bomb against Iran if President Donald Trump orders renewed military operations, bringing the powerful weapon known as the “Mother of All Bombs” into focus.
CNN’s original report noted that officials familiar with military planning had doubts about the weapon’s effectiveness in achieving the administration’s objectives. The US military has developed strike plans that could involve the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, CNN reported on October 14, citing multiple US officials familiar with the discussions. The bomb weighs approximately 21,600 pounds (9,800 kg), measures about 30 feet (9 meters) long and carries roughly 18,700 pounds of explosive material, according to the US Air Force Armament Museum Foundation.
The report said officials have questioned whether deploying the weapon would achieve Washington’s strategic objectives. According to the contemporary account of the operation published by Aviation International News, the strike was intended to target the militant group’s tunnel network and reduce the threat to US and Afghan forces conducting operations in the area.
