It has been reported that US President Donald Trump is considering using the GBU-43/B MOAB (Mother of All Bombs) bomb as part of a possible new military operation against Iran. According to CNN, the options prepared by the Pentagon include attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities and energy infrastructure. The plans also list the Pickaxe Mountain facility, which Iran built underground and which the United States and Israel associate with nuclear activities, among possible targets. While the White House did not comment on secret military plans, it stated that Trump was evaluating all options.
USED IN AFGHANISTAN IN 2017
MOAB was developed during the US preparations for the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The bomb, which is approximately 9.1 meters long, weighs 10 tons and is GPS-guided, is designed to create a very high-pressure explosion in large areas. It was dropped from an MC-130 aircraft for the first time on April 13, 2017, in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, against the tunnel and cave complex used by the ISIS-Khorasan organization. Afghan authorities reported that more than 90 militants were killed in the attack; Attempts to file a lawsuit regarding the attack, in which civilians also lost their lives, were blocked by the USA. The MOAB was also kept ready during the 2003 Iraq war but was not used.
11 TONS GIANT DEMOLITION
According to US Air Force data, the total weight of the GBU-43/B is approximately 9.5-10 tons, and the explosive warhead is approximately 8.5 tons. The explosive power of the bomb is expressed as approximately 11 tons of TNT equivalent. In the Pentagon’s test and evaluation reports regarding the bomb, it was stated that the explosion could have a devastating effect on an area equivalent to nine city blocks. However, according to reports, MOAB is not a munition designed to penetrate fortified facilities tens of meters underground. The 13.6-ton GBU-57 bunker-piercing bomb developed for this mission was used in American attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities in June 2025. Warnings that MOAB’s large explosion power could cause the death of many civilians are also frequently made in the media.
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT IS USED IN IRAN? WARNING FROM EXPERTS
According to American military sources speaking to the American media, it is very difficult to destroy the facilities thought to be located under the thick granite layers of Kazma Mountain with MOAB. Military sources consider the bomb as a weapon that is suitable for destroying large areas and can also create psychological pressure. Research by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) based on satellite images also indicates that Iran has strengthened the entrances to underground facilities. If energy facilities are targeted, the big explosion has the power to completely affect nearby civilian settlements, electricity and fuel infrastructure. American officials state that there is no guarantee that such an attack would force Iran to surrender or completely eliminate its nuclear program.
