The United States is weighing the use of its biggest non-nuclear bomb against Iran as President Donald Trump considers whether to resume military action in a war that has reached a stalemate, CNN reported on Thursday.
The Pentagon has been exploring the possible deployment of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “Mother Of All Bombs”, against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities, according to officials familiar with the plans cited by CNN. “The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else,” the source said.
The possibility of renewed strikes come as Trump faces pressure ahead of the November midterm elections, with his approval ratings remaining low. Polls have indicated that the unpopular war and the resulting rise in fuel and other prices are hurting Trump’s Republican Party. It was dropped on Islamic State hideouts in a network of tunnels and bunkers. Trump authorised the use of the weapon against the militant group’s positions, making him the first US president to deploy the largest non-nuclear bomb in America’s arsenal.
The strike killed more than 90 militants, according to reports at the time.
