Trump rules out using a nuclear bomb against Iran: why it matters | US-Israeli war against Iran

US President Donald Trump for the first time explicitly ruled out the use of a nuclear weapon against Iran, but did not deny US media reports that his administration was considering deploying America’s deadliest non-nuclear munition, dubbed the “mother of all bombs”, in the near future.

In an interview published Thursday by the right-wing US news site Newsmax, Trump suggested he was not considering using nuclear weapons, but also clarified that the devastating air weapon, the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB – “the mother of all bombs”) “is not nuclear.”

“I wouldn’t use nuclear power. We don’t have to. We are the largest nuclear power in the world,” he told Newsmax.

The comments are Trump’s first definitive statement on the nuclear issue, following speculation about a possible atomic conflict during the US-Israeli war on Iran. They also appear to confirm speculation that another phase of the war is imminent, possibly after the US midterm elections on November 3.

Here’s what we know:

What did Trump say?

Trump told Newsmax that the United States could indeed launch another strike on Iran’s nuclear sites, particularly Mount Pickaxe, where Tehran is believed to be hiding a nuclear facility deep under layers of granite.

He ruled out the use of a nuclear weapon or a tactical nuclear weapon.

“I wouldn’t use nuclear power. We don’t have to. We are the biggest nuclear power in the world,” he said.

He also clarified that MOAB, which CNN reported the U.S. government was considering using, “is not nuclear.”

Responding to a question about whether the MOAB is “tactical nuclear” – meaning smaller nuclear munitions – Trump reiterated that it is not.

“Well, the mother of all bombs is not nuclear,” Trump said. “It’s not nuclear at all. It’s just an extremely large bomb.”

Trump declined to say whether he had authorized its use in Iran.

Trump also suggested that further attacks would be likely in the near future. The United States cannot end the war now because it must ensure that Iran cannot produce a nuclear weapon, he argued, believing that “if they had it, they would use it, in my opinion, instantly.”

Trump also reiterated that the war would end “very soon,” whether by force or diplomacy, and that oil prices would then fall.

Asked if he would send “troops on the ground,” Trump replied: “No, I don’t see it, I don’t see it.” » Earlier in the war, Trump had made comments about sending troops, a move that analysts said would be devastating for American soldiers due to Iran’s mountainous territory.

What is the “mother of all bombs”?

The MOAB carries a massive payload of approximately 8,500 kg (18,000 pounds or 8.5 tons) of high explosives. It weighs 9,800 kg (21,605 pounds or nearly 10 tons) – roughly the equivalent of four cars – and measures just over nine meters (about 30 feet) long. Stealth bombers are too small to carry it, so it must be deployed by larger Lockheed C-130 Hercules carriers.

It is designed to explode a few meters above the ground, sending intense fireballs capable of blowing up buildings and other hard-surfaced structures within a kilometer radius, experts told Al Jazeera. It is so powerful that a mushroom cloud from its explosion was seen 32 km (20 miles) away during tests, the US Air Force said.

“Its large explosive charge can produce devastating blast effects against exposed vulnerable personnel, equipment and structures,” said Elijah Magnier, a Brussels-based military and weapons analyst. “Its purpose is to generate an exceptionally powerful explosion on a surface.”

However, Magnier said there were doubts about the effectiveness of using this massive surface explosive against Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facilities. He added that the terrain in Iran could be difficult to access for large cargo planes.

What has Trump ever said about nuclear weapons?

Trump has never explicitly mentioned the use of nuclear weapons, but he has never ruled out the possibility either.

Speculation about whether Washington might use nuclear weapons was rife early in the conflict, largely due to the extreme nature of Trump’s many threats against Tehran.

In April, for example, as Iran imposed a blockade on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, Trump posted on his Truth Social site that “…an entire civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back,” if Iran does not agree to a peace deal and reopen the strait.

He also threatened to destroy Iran’s infrastructure, saying a bombing campaign “would be both Power Plant Day and Bridge Day” in Iran.

Experts have widely interpreted his statements as a threat of nuclear destruction, but this threat has still failed to force Iran to the negotiating table.

Although Trump has largely moved away from his heavy-handed rhetoric in the weeks since, he reiterated last month at the United Nations General Assembly in New York that he could “annihilate” Iran. He also told the gathering that he believed a deal would emerge after the midterm elections.

What is a “tactical” nuclear weapon?

“Tactical” nuclear weapons (TNW) are smaller nuclear munitions designed for the battlefield, as opposed to strategic nuclear munitions designed for mass destruction.

Some perceive nuclear weapons to have less impact than an atomic bomb, but experts warn that their names are misleading and they can still be devastating. Their explosive power, between 0.3 and 50 kilotons, can affect areas located within a radius of 500 to 600 km.

The United States dropped a 15-kiloton nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, meaning that weapon would be considered a nuclear nuclear weapon today. The United States, North Korea and Russia have nuclear weapons in their arsenals, although no country has ever used them. TNWs are not subject to any international treaties and are largely unregulated.

What could a new US attack on Iran look like?

While Trump does not rule out abandoning the MOAB, analysts speculate that the United States could launch another – perhaps the last – intensive bombing campaign targeting Iranian nuclear and defense sites, particularly Pickaxe Mountain.

The United States could also continue its naval blockade of Iranian ports, while providing escorts to commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has vowed to respond to escalating strikes by targeting the oil and digital infrastructure of neighboring Gulf states.

Senior defense officials also warned that Iran would invade its neighbors if the United States launched a ground operation, although Trump appears to have ruled out that possibility.

Earlier in the war, he hinted at the possibility of sending ground forces to recover some 400 kg of highly enriched uranium that Washington and Israel say Tehran has hidden underground.

Trump’s phone calls in March to Kurdish militias fighting Iran sparked speculation that Washington might coordinate with them for an invasion, although that did not happen.