File photo: The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb is pictured in this undated handout photo.
Trump first authorised its use in combat during his first presidency, when the US military dropped a MOAB on an Islamic State tunnel complex in Afghanistan in 2017. Afghan officials said the strike killed 36 Islamic State fighters and destroyed tunnels, weapons and ammunition. CNN reported that potential targets include energy infrastructure and the suspected nuclear site at Pickaxe Mountain.
The plans include the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “mother of all bombs”, which could be deployed if US president Donald Trump orders a resumption of combat operations. Trump has said the US will not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon, but has also faced pressure to bring the conflict to an end. One source familiar with the military planning told CNN that Trump had ordered additional strike packages covering “a lot of energy infrastructure”, with the possibility of using the MOAB. A second source said plans for attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, including Pickaxe Mountain, explicitly included the bomb. 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 ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon”. The Pentagon said it plans for a wide range of operational scenarios to carry out presidential and defence secretary directives. It can destroy an area equivalent to about nine city blocks, making it suited to large-area targets rather than deeply buried facilities, according to CNN. US and Afghan officials said no civilians were killed in that attack. One source described the weapon as effective for clearing a large area but said it was “definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead”.
The report comes as the Trump administration weighs its options for ending a war that has continued for more than six months, with little indication of an imminent diplomatic breakthrough. The existence of these plans does not mean a strike has been authorised. Unlike a bunker-buster designed to penetrate deep underground, the MOAB detonates before hitting the ground, projecting its blast outward.