Why US is weighing ‘Mother of all bombs’ strikes against Iran
The US military is reportedly considering the use of the "Mother of all bombs" in military operations against Iran. This decision could be made if President Donald Trump approves renewed combat operations before or after the midterms. The GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, or MOAB, is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, weighing 9,800 kg and containing 8.5 tonnes of explosive.
It was first tested in 2003 and detonates in the air, a few feet above the ground, spreading the blast wave over a wide area and destroying buildings and surface structures. Analysts say the MOAB would destroy everything above ground within a 1 km radius. However, military officials doubt the bomb can reach Iran's suspected nuclear facilities, which are reportedly protected by layers of granite or other hard materials. The bomb's limited penetration capabilities make it less effective against deep bunkers.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
