Exclusive: US considering using ‘mother of all bombs’ against Iran, sources say

Department of Defense/Getty Images/File

The US military has developed new strike plans that include potentially using the so-called “mother of all bombs” to target Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites should President Donald Trump give the order to resume combat operations either before or after the midterm elections, according to multiple US officials familiar with the matter.

Using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb or MOAB, the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, for the first time in the conflict with Iran would mark a notable escalation, even though there are doubts over how effective it would be in accomplishing any of Trump’s stated strategic objectives or tipping the balance of the war, multiple sources familiar with internal military planning discussions about potentially deploying the weapon said.

Trump is facing pressure to bring an end to the deeply unpopular war — as Republicans brace for potential political backlash from voters in the upcoming midterm elections and there is little indication the two countries are close to a negotiated resolution after more than six months of US bombing.

While the US military continues to provide Trump with options for potential strikes against outstanding Iranian targets, some officials continue to privately question whether the White House has a strategy that incorporates those plans in a way that could actually end the war — something only the president has the power to do.

For months, Trump and his advisers have discussed options that could act as a “definitive” end to the war, at least from a messaging point of view, aware of how unpopular the conflict has become among Americans.

While some administration figures have characterized the war as essentially won, Trump has been more guarded in recent remarks, stopping short of declaring victory and saying the US still has unfinished business in the country.

Behind the scenes, Trump has also cast doubt on some outside allies who have encouraged him to simply bring US troops home and move on. Doing so, Trump has argued, would look like defeat.

Over the course of the last several weeks, White House advisers have held meetings to discuss various options for Iran. While Trump announced publicly that he would not take new actions before the midterms, several advisers said privately they didn’t know whether that statement was definitive or could change before Election Day.

Trump has ordered the military to develop additional strike packages against Iranian targets that include “a lot of energy infrastructure” and the potential use of a MOAB, one of the sources told CNN. The same source said the phrasing used was that this attack would come “prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility),” indicating the administration could launch the additional strikes, attempt to declare victory and quickly pull everyone out.

A second source told CNN that military plans for striking Iranian nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain , also explicitly call for using the MOAB. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Pickaxe, where the US and Israel believe Tehran has stored components of its nuclear program, even after pausing full combat operations earlier this year, and Trump continues to emphasize that his goal is to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon.

Another US official noted that when the military plans, it develops a menu of options for policymakers that range from the high-end to low-end. Higher-end targets, including those that are located deep underground, require bigger bombs, and the MOAB is the biggest, the official added.

But there are questions around whether the MOAB would be an effective munition to use against Iran’s nuclear facilities and other sites that are located deep underground. While the GPS-guided bomb is capable of destroying an area equivalent to nine city blocks, it likely lacks the capability to penetrate deep enough under the surface to destroy the suspected nuclear facilities at Pickaxe, which is believed to be fortified by layers of granite, and other remaining Iranian nuclear sites, sources said.

US Air Force/Handout/Reuters

What to know about the MOAB bomb

Called the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, or MOAB bomb

Nicknamed the “mother of all bombs”

Is America’s most powerful non-nuclear bomb

“The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” a third source familiar with military planning discussions around Iran told CNN. “It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.”

If used, the MOAB would have devastating effects on the area that it impacts but likely only at the surface level, the sources noted. And the bomb’s massive blast radius would almost certainly raise concerns about the prospect of civilian casualties — particularly if it is used to target Iranian infrastructure targets located near populated areas and in close proximity to non-military sites.

Still, Trump could opt to use the MOAB as a psychological weapon at a time when the Iranian regime appears dug in and unwilling to bend to his diplomatic demands. While US officials warn that deploying it is unlikely to force Iran’s capitulation or achieve a strategic military victory — it could provide Trump with an additional option, short of restarting full combat operations, to alter the conflict’s current status quo.

“POTUS has unfortunately put himself in a situation where he is almost compelled to do something and, without the ammunition designed to penetrate that level … you have to look at psychological effects for which the MOAB is well-equipped,” the third source familiar with recent planning discussions added.

Many within the administration as well as outside analysts agree that the only way to decisively defeat Iran would be through a major operation involving ground troops, a commitment that could potentially cost thousands of American lives. The Pentagon considers all scenarios, so those plans exist, but as of now no one in the administration is arguing for such drastic action.

Trump has indicated he has little interest in putting US boots on the ground in Iran but his desire to end the conflict as soon as possible presents a political dilemma for a president who is keenly aware of how unpopular the war has become yet has been unable to secure a diplomatic agreement that would bring it to a close.

Top Trump administration officials and military planners have been focused, for weeks, on finding an off-ramp that gives Trump a “symbolic” win — at minimum — he can try to sell to the American people without preventing a potential diplomatic breakthrough, starting with an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, CNN has reported.

A fourth source familiar with the Pentagon’s recent planning discussions on Iran told CNN that military officials had developed some options that would amount to a “fireworks show,” with the goal of providing Trump an off-ramp from the conflict even if those strikes fail to accomplish his stated goals for starting the war in the first place.

And despite Trump’s recent pledge to hold off on launching additional strikes before the midterms, the US military already appears to be preparing for potential Iranian retaliation should the president give the go-order.

The next turnover of US troops deployed to CENTCOM is also expected to take place within the next few weeks, according to a fifth source, a US official who acknowledged it is possible some of the personnel who rotate out of the region, may not be replaced by fresh service members.

Asked about the plans, a White House official told CNN that they do not comment on sensitive military plans that may or may not exist, adding “President Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.”

In response to CNN’s request for comment, a Pentagon official said: “The Department of War plans for a wide range of operational scenarios to execute Presidential and Secretary‑level direction and to ensure mission success in any operational environment.”

Developed during the Iraq War, the MOAB is an air blast-type warhead that explodes before hitting the ground to project a massive explosion from all sides.

During the final stages of testing in 2003 , military officials told CNN the MOAB was mainly conceived as a weapon employed for “psychological operations.”

Military officials said then they hoped such a huge blast would rattle Iraqi troops and pressure them into surrendering or not even fighting.

As originally conceived, the MOAB was to be used against large formations of troops and equipment or hardened above-ground bunkers. The target set has been expanded to include targets buried under softer surfaces, such as caves or tunnels.

Trump was the first US president to deploy the MOAB, during his first term when he authorized the military to use its most powerful non-nuclear bomb on ISIS positions in Afghanistan in 2017.

That strike targeted a network of fortified underground tunnels that ISIS had been using to stage attacks on government forces — killing 36 ISIS fighters, Afghan officials said. The blast destroyed three underground tunnels as well as weapons and ammunition, but no civilians were hurt, Afghan and US officials added at the time.

At the time, the bombing marked a dramatic change in attitude for Trump , who advocated an isolationist, “America first” foreign policy during his first election campaign.

Following the 2017 strike, US military officials were pressed on whether the 21,600-pound bomb was necessary for that particular target and would likely face similar questions if the munition is deployed against Iran.

美国国防部/盖蒂图片社/档案照片

据多位熟悉此事的美国官员透露，如果唐纳德·特朗普总统在中期选举前后下令恢复作战行动，美国军方已制定新的打击计划，其中包括可能使用所谓的“炸弹之母”来打击伊朗的能源基础设施和核设施。

多位熟悉美国内部军事计划讨论（涉及部署该武器的可能性）的消息人士表示，首次在与伊朗的冲突中使用美国武库中最大的非核炸弹 GBU-43/B 大型空爆炸弹（MOAB）将标志着冲突的显著升级，尽管人们对其在实现特朗普所宣称的任何战略目标或扭转战争局势方面的有效性表示怀疑。

特朗普面临着结束这场极不受欢迎的战争的压力——共和党人正准备应对即将到来的中期选举中选民可能出现的政治反弹，而且几乎没有迹象表明，在美军轰炸六个多月后，两国已接近通过谈判达成解决方案。

尽管美国军方不断向特朗普提供针对伊朗未决目标的潜在打击方案，但一些官员私下里仍然质疑白宫是否有一项战略能够将这些计划纳入其中，从而真正结束战争——而这只有总统才有权做到。

几个月来，特朗普和他的顾问们一直在讨论各种方案，希望能够“彻底”结束这场战争，至少从宣传角度来看是如此，因为他们意识到这场冲突在美国民众中已经变得多么不受欢迎。

虽然一些政府官员认为这场战争基本上已经胜利，但特朗普在最近的讲话中更加谨慎，没有宣布胜利，并表示美国在该国还有未完成的事业。

在幕后，特朗普也对一些外部盟友表示怀疑，这些盟友曾鼓励他把美军撤回国内，结束这场战争。特朗普认为，这样做会被视为失败。

过去几周，白宫顾问们举行了多次会议，讨论对伊朗的各种应对方案。尽管特朗普公开宣布中期选举前不会采取新的行动，但几位顾问私下表示，他们并不确定这一声明是否最终定论，或者在选举日之前是否有可能改变立场。

据CNN报道，一位消息人士透露，特朗普已下令军方制定针对伊朗目标的额外打击方案，其中包括“大量能源基础设施”以及可能使用巨型炸弹“炸弹之母”（MOAB）。该消息人士还表示，措辞是此次袭击将在“美国在中央司令部责任区撤退之前”进行，这意味着特朗普政府可能会发动额外打击，试图宣布胜利，然后迅速撤军。

第二位消息人士告诉CNN，打击伊朗核设施（包括皮克克斯山）的军事计划也明确要求使用“炸弹之母”（MOAB）。近几个月来，特朗普多次威胁要打击皮克克斯山，美国和以色列认为德黑兰在那里储存了其核计划的部件。即便在今年早些时候暂停了全面作战行动后，特朗普仍然如此威胁。特朗普继续强调，他的目标是确保伊朗永远无法获得核武器。

另一位美国官员指出，军方在制定计划时，会为决策者提供一系列选项，涵盖从高端到低端的各种方案。这位官员补充说，高端目标，包括位于地下深处的目标，需要更大的炸弹，而“炸弹之母”（MOAB）就是其中最大的炸弹。

但人们对“炸弹之母”（MOAB）能否有效摧毁伊朗核设施和其他位于地下深处的设施仍存有疑问。消息人士称，虽然这种GPS制导炸弹能够摧毁相当于九个街区大小的区域，但它可能缺乏足够的穿透深度，无法摧毁据信由花岗岩层加固的皮卡斯核设施以及其他伊朗剩余的核设施。

美国空军/供图/路透社

关于MOAB炸弹，你需要知道些什么？

它被称为GBU-43/B巨型空爆炸弹，或MOAB炸弹

绰号“炸弹之母”

美国威力最大的非核炸弹

一位熟悉伊朗军事计划讨论的第三位消息人士告诉CNN：“MOAB是一种大规模信息战武器，非常适合大范围清剿，但除此之外用途不多。它绝对不是设计成纵深穿透弹头的。”

消息人士指出，如果使用，巨型炸弹“炸弹之母”（MOAB）将对爆炸区域造成毁灭性影响，但可能仅限于地表。该炸弹巨大的爆炸半径几乎肯定会引发人们对平民伤亡的担忧——尤其是在用于袭击位于人口稠密区附近且紧邻非军事设施的伊朗基础设施目标时。

尽管如此，在伊朗政权似乎立场坚定、不愿屈服于其外交要求之际，特朗普仍有可能选择将“炸弹之母”（MOAB）作为心理战武器。虽然美国官员警告称，部署“炸弹之母”不太可能迫使伊朗投降或取得战略军事胜利，但它可以为特朗普提供一个额外的选择，在不重启全面作战行动的情况下，改变冲突的现状。

“不幸的是，美国总统把自己置于一种几乎不得不采取行动的境地，而且由于缺乏能够突破这一层面的弹药……你必须考虑心理效应，而‘炸弹之母’在这方面非常有效，”第三位熟悉近期计划讨论的消息人士补充道。

许多政府内部人士以及外部分析人士都认为，彻底击败伊朗的唯一途径是发动大规模地面部队作战，而这项行动可能会造成数千名美国人丧生。五角大楼正在考虑所有可能的情况，因此相关计划已经存在，但目前政府内部没有人主张采取如此激烈的行动。

特朗普已表示他对向伊朗派遣地面部队兴趣不大，但他希望尽快结束冲突的愿望，给这位深知战争不得人心却又无法达成结束战争的外交协议的总统带来了政治困境。

据 CNN 报道，数周以来，特朗普政府高级官员和军事策划人员一直致力于寻找一条出路，让特朗普至少能获得一场“象征性”的胜利，以便他能向美国人民推销这场胜利，同时又不妨碍潜在的外交突破，首先是达成重新开放霍尔木兹海峡的协议。

第四位熟悉五角大楼近期关于伊朗计划讨论的消息人士告诉 CNN，军方官员已经制定了一些方案，这些方案相当于一场“烟火表演”，目的是为特朗普提供一个摆脱冲突的途径，即使这些打击行动未能实现他最初发动战争的既定目标。

尽管特朗普最近承诺在中期选举前不会发动更多袭击，但如果总统下达命令，美国军方似乎已经在为伊朗可能的报复做准备。

据第五位消息人士透露，部署到中央司令部的美军下一轮换预计也将在未来几周内进行。这位美国官员承认，一些轮换离开该地区的人员可能不会被新兵替换。

当被问及这些计划时，一位白宫官员告诉 CNN，他们不会对可能存在也可能不存在的敏感军事计划发表评论，并补充说：“特朗普总统保留所有选项，以确保伊朗永远不会拥有核武器。”

针对 CNN 的置评请求，五角大楼一位官员表示：“战争部制定了各种作战方案，以执行总统和部长级的指示，并确保在任何作战环境下都能取得成功。”

MOAB 是在伊拉克战争期间研制的，它是一种空爆型弹头，在落地前爆炸，从各个方向产生巨大的爆炸威力。

在 2003 年的最后测试阶段，军方官员告诉 CNN，MOAB 主要被设计成一种用于“心理战”的武器。

军方官员当时表示，他们希望如此巨大的爆炸能够震慑伊拉克军队，迫使他们投降甚至放弃战斗。

最初设计时，巨型炸弹（MOAB）用于攻击大规模部队和装备编队或坚固的地面掩体。后来，其攻击目标范围扩大到包括埋藏在较软地表下的目标，例如洞穴或隧道。

特朗普是第一位部署“炸弹之母”（MOAB）的美国总统，在他第一个任期内，他授权军方在2017年对阿富汗境内的ISIS阵地使用这种威力最大的非核炸弹。

阿富汗官员称，那次空袭的目标是ISIS用来袭击政府军的地下隧道网络，造成36名ISIS武装分子死亡。爆炸摧毁了三条地下隧道以及武器弹药，但没有平民伤亡。阿富汗和美国官员当时补充道。

当时，这起爆炸事件标志着特朗普态度的剧变。在他第一次竞选总统期间，他主张奉行孤立主义的“美国优先”外交政策。

2017 年袭击事件发生后，美国军方官员被追问，对于该特定目标，21600 磅重的炸弹是否必要；如果将这种弹药部署到伊朗，他们很可能会面临类似的问题。