The U.S. military has developed contingency plans to deploy the 21,600-pound GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities, including Pickaxe Mountain. Facing political pressure ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections, President Donald Trump seeks a symbolic end to the war, though experts doubt the surface-blast weapon can penetrate fortified underground sites.
US military strike plans against Iran
- ▪Military plans for striking Iranian nuclear sites, including the Pickaxe Mountain facility near Natanz, explicitly include options for deploying the GBU-43/B MOAB bomb.
- ▪One military strike option incorporates using the GBU-43/B MOAB bomb against Iranian targets before a U.S. military retrograde in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
- ▪The U.S. military has developed strike plans that include potentially using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if President Donald Trump orders renewed combat operations.
Targeting Iranian energy infrastructure
- ▪Trump administration officials have sought military strike options on energy infrastructure to secure a symbolic victory and open diplomatic pathways to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- ▪President Donald Trump ordered the U.S. military to develop strike options targeting significant Iranian energy infrastructure facilities.
Targeting the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility
- ▪U.S. and Israeli assessments indicate that Tehran stores components of its nuclear program at an underground facility beneath Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz.
- ▪President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened strikes on Pickaxe Mountain to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon.
Specifications and capabilities of the MOAB
- ▪The GBU-43/B MOAB bomb is an air-blast surface weapon that lacks the deep penetration capabilities required to destroy underground facilities fortified by layers of granite.
- ▪The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb weighs 21,600 pounds and is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. military arsenal.
- ▪The GBU-43/B MOAB is a GPS-guided air-blast weapon that detonates in mid-air to create a massive surface-level blast radius affecting an area equivalent to nine city blocks.
- ▪Military planners note that deploying the GBU-43/B MOAB bomb against targets in populated areas would raise significant concerns regarding potential civilian casualties.
White House stance and political pressure
- ▪President Donald Trump announced publicly that the U.S. would not launch new military actions against Iran prior to the November 2026 midterm congressional elections.
- ▪White House and Pentagon officials declined to comment on sensitive military plans regarding Iran, stating that President Donald Trump keeps all options on the table to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
- ▪White House advisers privately expressed uncertainty regarding whether President Donald Trump's commitment to refrain from military actions before the November 2026 midterm elections would remain definitive.
- ▪President Donald Trump faces political pressure ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections due to public dissatisfaction with the six-month war with Iran and associated rising prices.
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