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Donald Trump considering using 'Mother of all Bombs' against Iran - the US military's strongest non-nuclear weapon
Donald Trump announced that in the current war against Iran, he's not against considering the use of the US military's strongest non-nuclear weapon.
The 43/B MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast) is considered the "Mother of all Bombs" in the US arsenal and has only been deployed by the military one time, in 2017.
But if Trump, if sources are right, is considering deploying the bomb during the current war with Iran, it could represent a massive re-shake of the geopolitical map.
New US strike plans could include MOAB, sources say
According to CNN, new strike plans drafted up the US military could potentially include the option to target the so-called "Mother of All Bombs" at Iranian infrastructures.
The sites targeted could include energy and nuclear sites, but would require President Donald Trump to give the order, either before or after the upcoming US midterm elections.
As the conflict with Iran has carried on, and especially the pressure on Trump's shoulders to end the war, sources say Trump and his advisors have discussed scenarios where they could bring the war to a "definitive" end.
“POTUS has unfortunately put himself in a situation where he is almost compelled to do something," a source close to the situation told CNN.
"Without the ammunition designed to penetrate that level […] you have to look at psychological effects for which the MOAB is well-equipped."
Weighing over 21,000 pounds and containing more than 11 tons of explosives, the MOAB is the most dangerous weapon currently in the US arsenal. It remains the largest non-nuclear weapon ever used in combat by the United States.
When has the "Mother of All Bombs" been used in combat before?
The so-called "Mother of All Bombs" has only been used in combat one time before.
First developed by the US military in 2003 during the War on Terror, the MOAB is a warhead that explodes before it even hits the ground - projecting a massive explosion from all sides.
Despite its power and heft, the weapon has only been deployed once in US military history, also by Trump, during his first administration as President.
The MOAB was first detonated in 2017, against an ISIS tunnel complex in Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. The successful deployment of the bomb resulted in the destruction of the underground base the military was targeting, as well as the deaths of 36 militants.
Following the strike, however, the US military came under pressure to explain if this lethal force had been entirely necessary - and the MOAB notably hasn't been used in any other conflict since, for now.