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US military weighs use of ‘mother of all bombs’ in potential future strikes on Iran, CNN says

Military planners say the bomb could be used to hit energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if Trump resumes combat operations, raising civilian-casualty concerns.

  • The United States is considering deploying the GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, known as the "Mother of All Bombs," in potential new strikes against Iran targeting energy infrastructure and nuclear sites.
  • Multiple officials told CNN that strike plans include using the MOAB against targets like Pickaxe Mountain, while a White House official stated President Donald Trump is keeping all options on the table regarding the Islamic Republic.
  • Weighing approximately 21,600 pounds with nearly 19,000 pounds of explosives, the MOAB is engineered to unleash an exceptionally powerful blast over a broad area, differing significantly from the approximately 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator used in 2025.
  • The potential deployment raises concerns about civilian casualties, while President Trump faces pressure to end the war as Republicans brace for potential political backlash from voters in the upcoming midterm elections.
  • American forces have used the weapon only once, dropping it on an ISIS-K complex in Afghanistan in 2017, though military analysts express concerns the bomb lacks the capability to penetrate deep enough to destroy suspected nuclear facilities.
Insights by Ground AI

472 Articles

Lean Right

The U.S. is considering using its largest non-nuclear bomb against Iran if President Donald Trump decides to resume fighting in the war, which is at a standstill, as reported by CNN on Thursday. The Army evaluates the possible use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), better known as the 'mother of all bombs', to attack Iranian energy infrastructures and nuclear sites, according to the media, which cites officials familiar with the …

·Madrid, Spain
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Lean Left

According to CNN and CBS, the United States may be considering resorting to the most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever used in combat. It has only been used once before: during Trump's first term.

·Helsinki, Finland
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Lean Right

Donald Trump has reportedly asked the US military to come up with various plans for how to attack energy infrastructure in Iran. They are considering the “Massive Ordinance Air Blast Bomb”, also known as the “Mother Of All Bombs”.

·Gothenburg, Sweden
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Lean Right

The US evaluates using the MOAB bomb against Iranian territory, amid doubts about its scope and effectiveness.

·Guayaquil, Ecuador
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La Repubblica broke the news in Rome, Italy on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
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