U.S. Plans MOAB Strikes on Iran Nuclear, Energy Targets
The plans would take effect only if President Donald Trump orders a return to major combat operations. Using the MOAB would sharply escalate the conflict with Iran, though officials have questioned whether the bomb could deliver the results Washington wants.
According to the network, Trump has instructed the military to prepare additional strike options against Iranian targets, including energy facilities and sites tied to the country’s nuclear program. The plans could be activated before or after the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.
One source said the strikes could come before a U.S. military pullout from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. That timing could let the administration carry out further attacks before declaring victory and withdrawing its forces.
A second source said the plans for nuclear sites, including a suspected underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain, explicitly contemplated using the MOAB. Trump has repeatedly threatened to hit the site, where Washington and Israel believe Iran has stored components of its nuclear program. He has said that keeping Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains a central aim of the U.S. campaign.
A U.S. official told the network that military planners routinely prepare a spectrum of options for policymakers, from lower-intensity operations to heavier strikes on hardened targets.
The MOAB’s value against deeply buried facilities is doubtful, however. The GPS-guided bomb can devastate an area roughly equal to nine city blocks, but it is not built to burrow deep underground. Sources cited by the network said it would likely struggle against facilities shielded by thick granite and other fortifications.
“The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” a source familiar with the military planning discussions told the network, describing it as unsuited to deep penetration.
If used, the weapon could inflict extensive destruction at the point of impact. Its wide blast radius could also raise serious civilian-casualty concerns, particularly if strikes hit energy infrastructure near populated areas or other civilian facilities.
Even so, U.S. officials have reportedly weighed the bomb’s psychological impact as part of the administration’s wider set of military options. One source said the president could come under pressure to act further against Iran, even though it is unclear whether more strikes would push Tehran to accept Washington’s demands. That source suggested the MOAB could serve as a tool of psychological pressure, given the limits of available munitions against deeply buried targets.
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