US military prepares scenarios for using MOAB against Iran's nuclear facilities

New plans for strikes on Iran

US military officials have developed new plans that envisage potential strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities. A key element of these scenarios could be the use of the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal — the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), known as the "mother of all bombs". According to CNN, citing several US officials familiar with the planning details, the final decision on the use of this weapon remains with President Donald Trump.

Pickaxe Mountain complex among targets

According to the channel's sources, potential targets include Iranian energy and nuclear infrastructure facilities. In particular, attention is being paid to the Pickaxe Mountain complex. The US and Israel believe that Iran stores components of its nuclear programme there.

Limited effectiveness of the weapon

The use of the MOAB would be a significant escalation of the conflict. Meanwhile, according to US officials, there are doubts about the bomb's ability to destroy deeply buried nuclear facilities, which are protected, among other things, by granite layers.

The GBU-43/B bomb weighs approximately 9.8 tonnes. It is designed to hit large areas and detonates before contacting the ground, creating a powerful shockwave. According to CNN sources' estimates, such a weapon may prove ineffective against fortified underground structures. However, the scale of the explosion is capable of causing significant surface destruction and civilian casualties, especially if targets are located near populated areas.

Seeking a way out of the conflict

The Trump administration has been discussing options for several weeks that would allow the president to declare a symbolic victory and end the conflict. Among the scenarios considered are carrying out new strikes before withdrawing US troops from the region.

Although Donald Trump publicly stated his intention to refrain from new strikes until the US midterm elections, his advisers are not convinced that this decision is final. Meanwhile, US military personnel continue to prepare for potential retaliatory strikes by Iran.

White House position and historical precedent

In response to CNN's questions, the White House stated that it does not comment on sensitive military plans that may or may not exist. They emphasised that the US president keeps all options on the table to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

It is worth noting that the MOAB was first used in 2017 during Donald Trump's first presidential term. At that time, the bomb was dropped on positions of the "Islamic State" group in Afghanistan. According to Afghan officials, the strike destroyed three underground tunnels and killed 36 militants. It was reported at the time that there were no civilian casualties.