Symbolic imageUS military prepares 'mother of all bombs' option for possible Iran strikes
CNN reported on Thursday that US strike plans for Iran include the 'mother of all bombs' should Trump order combat to resume. Officials doubt it would achieve Washington's aims.
According to CNN, citing US officials, the military has drawn up plans to use the GBU-43/B MOAB, the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain. One source said the plan describes the attack as coming "prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR", which the Jerusalem Post reads as a strike followed by a pullout. Several sources told CNN the bomb likely cannot penetrate deep enough to destroy underground facilities, and one said its value would be mainly psychological. The White House said Trump "keeps all options on the table"; the Pentagon said it plans for a wide range of scenarios.
Midterm timing unclear
Trump has said on Truth Social that he will not attack Iran before the 3 November midterms, and told rallies the war will end very soon. Advisers told CNN it remains unclear whether he will change his mind before Election Day.
Pressure at Hormuz
Al Jazeera reports Iranian attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz are at their highest level since the war began. Brent crude traded at about $104 to $106 a barrel on Thursday, according to Al Jazeera and The American Conservative.
Other opinions
Al Jazeera quotes analyst Elijah Magnier calling a MOAB strike likely "political theatre", while Daily Sabah ties the planning to Trump's weak polling. TASS stresses CNN's claim that many in the administration see a ground operation as the only way to defeat Iran.