WASHINGTON, October 15 (ANI) — The US military has developed new strike options against Iran that include the potential use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “mother of all bombs,” to target energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, CNN reported, citing multiple US officials familiar with military planning discussions.
According to CNN, the reported plans come as President Donald Trump faces mounting pressure to end the war, which has become deeply unpopular among American voters, with the November midterm elections approaching and little indication of a negotiated settlement between Washington and Tehran.
CNN further reported that the US military has prepared additional strike packages targeting Iranian facilities, including energy infrastructure and nuclear sites such as Pickaxe Mountain.
The options could be considered if Trump decides to resume combat operations either before or after the midterm elections.
One source familiar with the planning told CNN that Trump had ordered the military to develop additional strike options that included “a lot of energy infrastructure” and the potential deployment of the MOAB.
The source said the language used in the planning discussions indicated that a potential attack could come “prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility),” suggesting an operation followed by an attempt to declare victory and withdraw US forces from the region.
A second source told CNN that military plans for striking Iranian nuclear facilities, including Pickaxe Mountain, also explicitly included the possible use of the MOAB.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to target Pickaxe Mountain, where the US and Israel believe components of Iran’s nuclear program have been stored. The president has maintained that his objective is to prevent Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
However, the potential use of the massive bomb has raised questions among officials familiar with the planning, particularly about whether it would be effective against heavily fortified underground nuclear facilities.
The GBU-43/B MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal and weighs approximately 21,600 pounds. Although capable of producing a devastating blast across a large area, its ability to penetrate deep underground remains limited, according to sources cited by CNN.
The suspected nuclear facilities at Pic
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