The US military has developed plans to use the GBU-43/B MOAB against Iranian energy and nuclear sites if President Trump orders renewed combat. Experts question the weapon's effectiveness against buried targets.
The United States is considering using its largest non-nuclear bomb against Iran if President Donald Trump decides to renew combat in the ongoing conflict, according to CNN. The war, which erupted with US-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, has reached a diplomatic impasse since the summer.
According to CNN, citing multiple US officials familiar with the plans, the military has developed new strike options that include the potential use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB). These plans target Iranian energy infrastructure and facilities associated with the country’s nuclear program, including a suspected underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain.
The proposed strikes could be activated before or after the upcoming US midterm elections. One source told CNN that the attacks might occur before a US military withdrawal from the US Central Command area of responsibility, potentially allowing the administration to launch further attacks before declaring victory.
Despite the MOAB's size, officials and experts have raised doubts about its ability to achieve Washington’s military objectives, particularly against deeply buried nuclear sites. The GBU-43/B contains about 8,500kg (18,000 pounds) of high explosives and weighs 9,800kg (21,605 pounds). It is typically deployed from the Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft because it cannot fit in a stealth bomber.
"The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else," a source familiar with the military planning discussions told CNN. "It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead."
Brussels-based military expert Elijah Magnier told Al Jazeera that using the MOAB would not guarantee the destruction of Iran’s deeply buried underground nuclear installations. "If the answer centres on the spectacle of the explosion, the proposal is stronger as political theatre than as military strategy," Magnier said.
Colonel Nidal Abu Zeid told Al Jazeera that the bomb does not require impact to detonate and that its massive blast will destroy everything above ground within a 1km (0.6-mile) radius. However, he noted that the bomb is not designed to punch through deep concrete or mountain rock in the way a "bunker buster" bomb is.
The consideration of the MOAB comes amid escalating tensions in the region. Yemen’s Houthis fired missiles at the presidential palace complex in Aden, killing two guards, while the Saudi-led coalition reported dozens of attacks on Saudi infrastructure. Coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki stated that the Houthis had launched 20 attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh this month, killing 17 people and wounding 333 others.
Iranian officials have responded with threats of their own. IRGC security adviser Mohammad Reza Naghdi warned that Iran could capture US troops if Washington launches ground attacks. "If the United States launches a ground attack, so many of its troops will be captured that it will be forced to raise the white flag," Naghdi said.
Additionally, National Security Council chief Mohsen Rezaei threatened that Iran would attack regional digital infrastructure, including communication cables and data centers in the United Arab Emirates, if American strikes resume.
The potential use of the MOAB represents a significant escalation in the conflict between the US and Iran. While the weapon has only been deployed once before, in Afghanistan in 2017, its use against Iran’s fortified nuclear sites raises concerns about civilian casualties and the effectiveness of the strike. The uncertainty over whether additional strikes would force Tehran to accept Washington's demands highlights the strategic dilemma facing the US administration.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck a military camp in southern Yemen with ballistic missiles, killing at least 53 recruits and wounding 200 others, according to local authorities.
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