Reports indicate that Washington is considering using the “mother of all bombs” against Iran if fighting returns
Published 15 October 2026, 09:47 GMT
Last updated 4 hours ago
Reading time: 2 minutes
CNN reported that the United States is considering bombing Iran using its most powerful non-nuclear bomb, if US President Donald Trump decides to start a new round of escalation after the war that began last February with American and Israeli strikes on Iran reached a dead end.
The network quoted informed sources as saying that the army is studying the possible use of the GBU-43/B bomb, known as the “Mother of All Bombs,” against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites.
However, informed sources expressed doubts about its ability to destroy Iran's underground nuclear facilities, and said that its potential use would primarily have a psychological effect.
US President Donald Trump said that those who leak information about the country's military operations to the media "should be shot."
“I think leakers should be shot,” Trump said during a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, on Wednesday. “In the past, we would shoot people who leaked information like when a country would be attacked.”
Referring to the US attack on Iranian nuclear facilities in June 2025, he claimed that someone revealed the take-off and arrival times of US military aircraft to carry out this operation.
Donald Trump criticized the publication of this information in the media, including the New York Times and CNN, saying that leakers of the information should face severe penalties, describing them as "the most depraved people on the face of the Earth."
Last week, US President Donald Trump ruled out launching an attack on Iran before the midterm elections scheduled for November 3, and spoke of “fruitful discussions” with Tehran.
Skip the most read and keep reading
Most read
Most read end
Skip the podcast and keep reading
Worth paying attention to
An in-depth explanation of the most prominent events and topics, to help you understand the most important variables around you and their impact on your life
Episodes
End podcast
This came as the war against Iran and its repercussions on goods and fuel prices caused a decline in Trump’s popularity during opinion polls shortly before the elections.
The United States and Israel said that the aim of the attacks was to prevent Iran from possessing a nuclear weapon, which Tehran denies working on, while affirming its right to a peaceful nuclear program.
Washington and Tehran concluded a memorandum of understanding last June, mediated by Pakistan, before it collapsed in July with the resumption of Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and the United States responded with military strikes on the Islamic Republic. Since then, negotiations have been stalemate.
However, several media reports said the White House had asked the Pentagon to prepare options to strike targets in Iran before the election.
CNN quoted a source as saying that Trump had directed that the plans include targeting "energy infrastructure on a large scale" and the possibility of using the "mother of all bombs."
However, some officials doubt the effectiveness of this bomb, especially with regard to its ability to destroy underground Iranian nuclear sites.
A source familiar with the plans told CNN that this bomb is “effective in destroying vast areas, but it is unable to do more than that,” noting that it is not designed like a warhead capable of breaching fortifications.
