WASHINGTON — The U.S. military has prepared potential strike packages against Iran that include the possible deployment of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast weapon, known as the “mother of all bombs,” as the White House weighs options in a seven-and-a-half-month conflict, CNN reported Thursday.
Multiple U.S. officials told CNN that the strike options could target Iranian energy facilities and nuclear locations if President Donald Trump decides to resume operations against Tehran, according to CNBC and the New York Post. The 21,600-pound air-burst device carries 18,700 pounds of explosives and stands as the most powerful non-nuclear weapon ever detonated by the U.S. in combat. It has not been used since an operation against Islamic State positions in Afghanistan during 2017.
Strike plans and strategic questions
The White House has declined to take any military choices off the table. An administration official told the New York Post that “President Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” while a Pentagon spokesperson said the department plans across multiple scenarios to execute commander-in-chief directives.
One source cited by CNN indicated that potential strikes could involve Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified subterranean site near the Natanz nuclear complex. Analysts have observed that the site could potentially shelter centrifuge equipment, although there is no evidence of nuclear activity there. Several military sources questioned whether the weapon could penetrate such a facility, noting the mountain is buried under 300 to 400 feet of granite, with one source telling CNN that the munition “is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.”
A scenario under consideration would have Washington launch strikes, announce victory, and quickly withdraw forces from the region before the U.S. reduces its footprint in the Central Command area of responsibility, the New York Post reported.
Trump projects confidence on campaign trail
The revelation of expanded strike blueprints comes as Trump traveled to Montana for a campaign rally Wednesday night ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Trump told the crowd that the conflict would conclude “very soon” and claimed Iranian armed forces had been thoroughly degraded.
“They don’t have a navy; they don’t have an air force; their army is decimated; their leaders are gone,” Trump said, as reported by Fox News.
Trump added that the loss of upper-tier leadership inside Iran had complicated diplomatic negotiations, telling supporters, “I should have probably left the leaders because I don’t know who we’re negotiating with.” He also asserted that petroleum prices would tumble rapidly once hostilities cease.
Despite the rhetoric, Trump stated last week that he would not order new strikes before Election Day, while Tehran has vowed to persist with its demands and has bolstered defenses at sensitive energy and atomic sites, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Midterm political and economic pressures
The military deadlock presents steep political hurdles for Republicans seeking to maintain control of Congress. A Silver Bulletin survey found that only 34 percent of Americans support the military operation against Iran, registering a net negative rating of 22.7 percent.
Voter unease is heavily driven by kitchen-table expenses:
- Gasoline prices have stayed above $4 per gallon for 158 days in 2026, the longest stretch on record, according to GasBuddy data cited by the New York Post.
- Pump prices reached a record peak of $6.53 per gallon last month.
- To alleviate cost pressures, Trump announced the U.S. plans to import Russian diesel, with supplies slated to arrive before the election.
- Economic polling cited by The Guardian shows 75 percent of Americans worry about a recession, while 65 percent of independent voters view the economy as deteriorating.
Whether the administration will execute new operations or pursue a negotiated resolution remains unresolved as the midterm vote approaches.
