The Pentagon has reportedly developed plans for additional strikes against Iran, including the possible deployment of America’s most powerful conventional bomb, as President Donald Trump considers military options ahead of the November midterm elections.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The U.S. military has prepared new strike plans that could involve deploying the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, commonly known as the “mother of all bombs,” against Iranian nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure if President Donald Trump authorizes renewed military operations.
The proposals, detailed in an exclusive CNN report, include possible attacks before or after the November 3 midterm elections, despite Trump’s recent public statements that he intends to delay additional military action until after voting concludes.
Multiple U.S. officials familiar with the discussions told CNN that the Pentagon has developed additional strike packages targeting Iranian energy installations and underground nuclear facilities. The options include using the approximately 21,000-pound MOAB, the largest non-nuclear bomb in the American arsenal.
Trump reportedly instructed military planners to prepare strikes against “a lot of energy infrastructure,” potentially followed by a withdrawal of American forces from the region.
One source described the proposed sequence as occurring “prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility),” suggesting that the administration could consider a final round of strikes before reducing its military presence in the Middle East.
The planning comes amid efforts to determine how Washington can conclude the conflict with Iran, which began February 28, while maintaining Trump’s stated objective of preventing Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Among the potential targets is Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified underground facility near Iran’s Natanz nuclear complex where U.S. and Israeli officials believe components of Tehran’s nuclear program may be stored.
However, officials familiar with the military discussions questioned whether the MOAB would be effective against facilities protected by substantial layers of rock.
“The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” one source told CNN. “It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.”
Although the weapon produces an enormous blast, it is primarily designed to destroy extensive surface targets rather than penetrate deeply buried installations.
According to Air & Space Forces Magazine’s weapons database, the GPS-guided bomb was developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory and first used operationally in April 2017 against an Islamic State tunnel and cave complex in Afghanistan.
Its warhead contains approximately 18,700 pounds of high explosives, making it capable of inflicting extensive damage over a large area.
Military officials have reportedly expressed concerns that deploying the weapon against Pickaxe Mountain could cause substantial destruction above ground without eliminating deeply buried nuclear facilities.
Potential strikes against energy infrastructure also raise questions about civilian casualties, particularly where industrial facilities are situated near populated areas.
The Pentagon’s reported planning reflects continued uncertainty within the administration over the next phase of the conflict.
Some officials believe American military operations have already substantially weakened Iran’s capabilities and that Washington should begin reducing its involvement.
Trump, however, has resisted calls for an immediate withdrawal, reportedly expressing concern that leaving without achieving his objectives could be interpreted as a defeat.
White House advisers have consequently discussed whether a decisive military operation could provide the administration with an opportunity to declare victory and end the conflict.
Other officials remain skeptical that additional strikes, including the use of the MOAB, would achieve a lasting strategic outcome.
The reported discussions also create uncertainty surrounding Trump’s pledge to avoid renewed attacks before the midterm elections.
Although the president has publicly indicated that further military action would be postponed until after November 3, several advisers told CNN they remain unsure whether that decision is final.
The timing is politically significant as Americans prepare to vote in congressional elections amid concerns about the war, rising energy prices and the broader economic consequences of the confrontation with Iran.
In a separate Reuters report published October 15, the news agency confirmed that CNN had reported the military planning but said it could not independently verify the information.
No final decision to use the MOAB has been publicly announced, and the existence of military strike plans does not establish that Trump has authorized an operation.
For now, the reported proposals underscore the administration’s consideration of additional military options as it weighs how to end the conflict without allowing Iran to reconstitute its nuclear or military capabilities.
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