US Military Draws Up Plans to Use MOAB Against Iranian Energy and Nuclear Sites if Strikes Resume

U.S. officials told CNN that military planners have developed new strike packages against Iran that include the possible use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, known as the MOAB or “mother of all bombs.” The plans cover energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, including the underground facility known as Pickaxe Mountain, and would apply if President Donald Trump orders combat operations to resume.

The MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal, weighing approximately 21,600 pounds and measuring 30 feet long. It is delivered by rolling it out of a cargo aircraft and is designed for surface-area blast effects rather than deep penetration. It was used once in combat, in Afghanistan in 2017 against Islamic State tunnel complexes. Officials familiar with the Iran planning discussions told CNN that questions remain about its effectiveness against hardened or buried targets.

One source described the weapon as useful for large-area clearance but not as a deep-penetration warhead. Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Pickaxe Mountain, where the United States and Israel believe Iran has stored components of its nuclear programme. He has also ordered additional packages focused on energy infrastructure. A White House official said all options remain on the table to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while declining to comment on specific plans.

Trump publicly stated earlier in October that he would not resume strikes before the 3 November midterm elections, but some advisers told CNN they were uncertain whether that statement was final. The planning occurs against a backdrop of continued Iranian attacks on shipping near the Strait of Hormuz and Houthi strikes on Saudi targets. Iran has placed forces on heightened alert and conducted new missile tests in recent days.

The potential first use of the MOAB in the Iran conflict would represent a significant escalation in visible destructive power, even if its practical effect on deeply buried facilities is limited. Officials noted that the weapon’s main value in some scenarios may be psychological and informational rather than purely military. No decision to employ it has been reported.

The plans sit alongside other options that include conventional munitions and possible cyber or economic measures. Tehran has warned that any resumption of major U.S. strikes could trigger wider retaliation, including against regional energy infrastructure and shipping. The midterm election calendar adds a political constraint that Trump has acknowledged publicly while keeping military options under development.