U.S. Weighs Deploying Massive Ordnance Air Blast Against Iran Amid Conflict Stalemate
Explore reports that the U.S. is considering using the massive GBU-43/B bomb against Iranian nuclear and energy sites as the regional conflict reaches a deadl
POLICY WIRE — Washington, United States — American defense planners are evaluating the potential deployment of the military’s largest non-nuclear weapon against Iran if President Donald Trump opts to escalate the stalled military campaign. CNN reported Thursday, citing unnamed sources familiar with the discussions, that the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, commonly called the Mother of All Bombs, is under consideration for striking Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear installations.
The strategic deliberations come as the administration seeks to bolster sagging approval ratings ahead of the November midterm elections. Polling data indicates that voter discontent over the ongoing military engagement in Iran, alongside spiking fuel costs and broader economic pressures, is weighing heavily on the Republican Party.
Diplomatic channels aimed at resolving the hostilities, which commenced following joint U.S.-Israeli airstrikes in February, have remained stalled since the summer months. In response to the battlefield impasse, Washington has shifted its primary focus in recent weeks from active military engagements toward intensified economic sanctions.
Despite the military planning, government officials have expressed skepticism regarding the tactical effectiveness of the massive weapon, particularly its capacity to neutralize heavily fortified underground nuclear facilities in Iran. The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else, an insider told CNN, adding that it is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.
Both Washington and Israel have consistently defended the military campaign as a vital necessity to block Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, an ambition that Iranian authorities have continually rejected. Additional worries persist regarding the high risk of civilian casualties associated with deploying such a destructive device.
The Pentagon has been approached by AFP for comment on the ongoing internal assessments. Historically, the U.S. military deployed the MOAB once before in 2017 in Afghanistan, targeting Islamic State tunnel and bunker networks and resulting in the deaths of over 90 militants.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
