The U.S. military has developed strike plans that include potentially using the GBU-43B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb, known as the “mother of all bombs,” against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, according to multiple U.S. officials who spoke to CNN. It would be the first use of the weapon in the Iran war. No order has been given and the plans are options should President Trump order combat to resume, before or after the midterms.

The MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal. It weighs 21,600 pounds, is GPS guided and explodes above ground for a wide blast. One source said Trump ordered strike packages including “a lot of energy infrastructure” and a potential MOAB, worded as coming “prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR,” a military term for withdrawing forces. A second source said plans for nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain, explicitly call for it. CNN says the U.S. and Israel believe Iran stored nuclear program components there.

The White House said it does not comment on sensitive military plans that “may or may not exist” and that Trump “keeps all options on the table.” The Pentagon said it plans for a wide range of scenarios.

The U.S. last used the MOAB in 2017 against ISIS tunnels in Afghanistan. Afghan officials said it killed 36 fighters.

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/15/politics/us-considering-mother-of-all-bombs-iran