China News Service, October 15. According to CNN on the 15th, citing multiple US officials, the US military has formulated a new plan to attack Iran. Once U.S. President Trump orders the resumption of combat operations before or after the mid-term elections, the strike plan includes considering using GBU-43/B large air burst bombs (English abbreviation MOAB, "Mother of Bombs") to attack Iran's energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities.
As what the US media calls the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, how powerful is the "Mother of All Bombs"? Can it effectively attack Iran's underground nuclear facilities? If the US military finally uses this weapon, what impact will it have on the current situation between the US and Iran?
Data map: GBU-43/B large air burst bomb, also known as the "Mother of Bombs".
How powerful is the "Mother of Bombs"?
According to US media, the "Mother of All Bombs" is officially called the GBU-43/B Large Air Explosion Bomb, or MOAB in English. It is the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the United States, weighing 21,600 pounds (approximately 9.8 tons).
According to CNN, the weapon was developed during the Iraq War and is an air-explosion ammunition that can detonate before impacting the ground, releasing huge explosion shock waves from all directions. Military officials have told CNN that the "Mother of All Bombs" was originally conceived primarily as a weapon for "psychological operations." At the time, the military hoped that the weapon would intimidate Iraqi troops into surrendering or fearing to continue fighting.
CNN also pointed out that Trump is the first US president to order the use of the "Mother of Bombs" while in office. In 2017, during his first presidential term, he authorized the use of the "Mother of All Bombs" by the U.S. military against the targets of the extremist organization "Islamic State" in Afghanistan.
However, the huge power of the explosion of the "Mother of All Bombs" is not equivalent to the ability to effectively attack underground nuclear facilities. The bomb is capable of destroying targets within the equivalent of nine city blocks, but its ability to penetrate the surface may not be enough to destroy "Haoshan", the report said.
A source familiar with discussions on Iran's military plans revealed: "The 'Mother of All Bombs' is a weapon mainly used to create huge momentum and carry out large-scale clearance. Other than that, it has limited uses. It is obviously not a warhead designed for deep penetration." The source pointed out that if used, it will have a devastating impact in the strike area, but the damage is likely to be mainly limited to the surface.
In addition, the report also pointed out that the huge explosion radius of such a bomb will almost certainly raise concerns about the risk of civilian casualties, especially when attacking Iranian infrastructure located near densely populated areas and close to non-military facilities.
If the "Mother of Bombs" is used, how will it affect the situation between the United States and Iran?
US media said that in the past few weeks, White House advisers have held multiple meetings to discuss various options for Iran. Although Trump has publicly stated that he will take no new action before the U.S. midterm elections, several advisers have said privately that they do not know whether this position is final or may change.
One source said Trump has ordered the military to develop additional strike options against Iranian targets, including "a lot of energy infrastructure" and the possibility of using the "mother of all bombs." The source mentioned that the relevant operations may be carried out before the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. This means that the United States may launch a new round of strikes before withdrawing its troops, and then declare victory and withdraw its troops.
Other sources revealed that military strike plans against Iran's "Haoshan" also explicitly mention the use of the "mother of bombs." Haoshan is located near the Natanz nuclear facility in central Iran's Isfahan province. Intelligence agencies from the United States, Israel and other Western countries consider it to be one of Iran's strongest underground nuclear facilities. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly threatened to crack down on "Haoshan".
Trump is under pressure to end the deeply unpopular war - and Republicans are bracing for a possible political backlash from voters in the upcoming midterm elections - while there are few signs that the U.S. and Iran are close to a negotiated solution.
Sources said that if the United States used the "mother of all bombs" for the first time in a conflict with Iran, it would mark a significant escalation of the situation. However, the use of this weapon does not mean that the expected strategic goals can be achieved. Many people familiar with internal combat planning discussions within the U.S. military have expressed doubts about whether the "Mother of All Bombs" can change the tide of the war and achieve the goals claimed by Trump.
Analysis points out that despite this, Trump may still choose to use the "Mother of All Bombs" as a psychological deterrent weapon when Iran seems unwilling to meet U.S. demands. Deployment of such bombs is unlikely to force Iran into submission or achieve a strategic military victory, but it may provide Trump with new options to change the current stalemate in the conflict without restarting full-scale combat operations.
