White House prepares plan to use weapon dubbed ‘mother of all bombs’ against Iran, sources say

The White House and Pentagon have prepared plans to use a massive air-burst bomb to strike military sites in Iran if ordered by President Trump. sources close to the case told CBS News.

A Pentagon official told CBS News: “The War Department plans for a wide range of operational scenarios to execute directives at the Presidential and Secretary level and ensure mission success in any operational environment.” »

A White House spokesperson said: “We do not comment on sensitive military projects that may or may not exist. President Trump is keeping all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. »

Last week, Mr. Trump said the United States would not attack Iran before the midterm elections. He also touted “productive conversations” with Iran, without providing details.

CNN first reported on Thursday plans to use the Massive Ordnance air-burst bomb, or MOAB, on Iran.

Mr Trump set a precedent using the MOAB, also known as the “mother of all bombs”, when it was used in 2017 to attack an Islamic State cave complex in Afghanistan. The bomb is America’s largest non-nuclear weapon, weighing more than 30,000 pounds and costing $170,000 each.

Iran and the United States have largely been reluctant to strike each other in recent weeks, after several months of intermittent U.S. strikes against Iranian targets. But Mr Trump has suggested war could resume if he fails to reach a satisfactory deal with the Iranian government.

In a speech to the United Nations General Assembly last month, President said he has a “big decision to make”: make a deal with Iran or “wipe out the Islamic Republic.”

Meanwhile, the United States imposes a blockade on Iranian ports and seeks to keep oil flowing through the Strait of Hormuz. But Iran has continued to threaten and strike ships in this key waterway, keeping global oil prices high.

Over the summer, many U.S. strikes against Iran focused on the country’s conventional military capabilities near the Strait of Hormuz, including air defense sites and missile and drone storage, according to U.S. Central Command.

Mr. Trump has also launched strikes against Iranian nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountaina deeply buried site that analysts say could be part of Iran’s nuclear program.