Trump Discusses Potential Use of MOAB Against Iran

President Donald Trump discussed a plan to deploy the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), the largest nonnuclear bomb in the U.S. military’s arsenal, in potential strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities. This proposal comes as the conflict in Iran remains unresolved over seven months after it began. In an interview with Newsmax on Thursday evening, Trump stated that the bomb is not nuclear, describing it as 'just an extremely large bomb' and likening it to 'a tiny nuclear bomb.' He emphasized that the United States does not need to use nuclear weapons against Iran, asserting that the country is 'the greatest nuclear power in the world.' The MOAB weighs approximately 21,000 pounds and contains about 18,700 pounds of explosives. It was developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory in 2003 and is designed to destroy large surface targets and attack enemy positions in caves and tunnels. Unlike conventional bombs that penetrate targets before detonating, the MOAB is designed to explode above ground, creating a pressure wave that can damage structures over a wide area. The bomb would only be used if Trump orders U.S. combat operations to resume, which he has stated would not occur before the midterm elections. The ongoing conflict in Iran is a significant issue for voters, with rising fuel prices potentially impacting the Republican majority in Congress. Trump has claimed that fuel prices will decrease once the war concludes.