The US military has reportedly prepared new options for strikes against Iran, including the potential deployment of its most powerful non-nuclear bomb against Iranian nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure if President Donald Trump authorises renewed combat operations.
According to multiple US officials familiar with the planning, the proposed operations could take place either before or after the upcoming midterm elections, although no decision to proceed has been announced.
Among the weapons being considered is the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), commonly known as the “mother of all bombs.” Its use would represent a significant escalation in the conflict, marking the first reported consideration of deploying the weapon against Iran during the current war.
However, sources familiar with internal military discussions have questioned whether such an attack would achieve Washington’s strategic objectives or substantially alter the course of the conflict.
The reported preparations come as Trump faces mounting domestic pressure over a war that has continued for more than six months, with Republicans concerned about its possible political consequences ahead of the midterm elections.
Despite continuing military planning, some US officials have privately expressed doubts about whether the administration has developed a broader strategy capable of translating further strikes into an end to hostilities.
Trump and his advisers have reportedly spent months examining options that could provide a “definitive” conclusion to the conflict, including measures that could be presented publicly as a decisive outcome.
While some administration officials have suggested that the United States has largely achieved its military objectives, Trump has been more cautious in his public remarks, indicating that Washington still has unfinished business in Iran.
The president has also reportedly resisted suggestions from some outside allies that he should withdraw US forces and bring the campaign to an end, expressing concern that such a move could be interpreted as a defeat.
The plans remain contingent on presidential authorisation, and the report does not establish that a decision has been made to use the MOAB or launch additional strikes.