Strike Plans Revealed

The US military has developed new strike plans against Iran that include the potential use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) — dubbed the 'mother of all bombs' — against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, should President Donald Trump order a resumption of combat operations. The CNN exclusive on Thursday (10/15/2026) cites multiple US officials familiar with the planning.

One source said Trump directed military leadership to prepare additional strike packages targeting 'a lot of energy infrastructure' in Iran, with the possibility of using the MOAB before US forces are withdrawn from the region. Another source described the scenario as taking place 'prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR' — a final round of strikes before Washington claims victory and pulls its forces out.

The plans could be executed before or after the November 3 midterm elections, even though Trump recently said he would hold off on renewed military action until voters cast their ballots. Trump has repeatedly vowed never to let Iran obtain nuclear weapons and warned that additional military action remains an option if Tehran refuses to reach a deal.

US Mulls Mother-of-All-Bombs Strike on Iran Nuclear Sites
A MOAB bomb test at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in March 2003. The bomb was last used in combat in 2017 in Afghanistan (photo: US Air Force, via Air & Space Forces Magazine). (Source: US Air Force via Air & Space Forces Magazine)

America's Largest Non-Nuclear Bomb

The MOAB is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, carrying 11 tons or 18,700 pounds of explosives. It has not been used in combat since 2017, when it was dropped on an ISIS cave and tunnel complex in Afghanistan during Trump's first term. Using it against Iran would mark a major escalation in a war that has run for seven and a half months since February 28.

The military plans specifically contemplate using the MOAB against Iranian nuclear facilities, including Pickaxe Mountain — a heavily fortified underground site near Natanz that US and Israeli officials believe stores components of Iran's nuclear program. However, some military officials questioned whether the bomb could penetrate the granite layers protecting the facilities.

The existence of the plans does not mean a strike has been authorized. A White House official declined to comment on sensitive military plans, saying Trump 'keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon.' Reuters reported it could not independently verify CNN's report.

Escalation Amid 7.5-Month War

The report comes as the US-Iran war has run for more than six months with no sign of a diplomatic breakthrough. Trump said the war would end 'very soon' and predicted oil prices would fall sharply once the conflict ends.

Tensions have also risen around the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping lane through which about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade passed before the war. Two vessels were reported sunk near the waterway after projectile attacks, raising concerns over commercial shipping security and global energy supplies.

The Pentagon said it plans for a wide range of operational scenarios to carry out presidential directives. For the world — including countries already wrestling with fuel distribution problems — any escalation in the Gulf could further shake global energy prices that are already running high.