Analyst: IRGC preparing Somali Ansar Allah militia to threaten Red Sea

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Wednesday its intention to unveil a new weapon dubbed the "Father of All Bombs" in response to US threats to deploy the most potent conventional bomb in the American arsenal against Iran's nuclear facilities. This development comes amid escalating security tensions between Tehran and Washington and the looming possibility of renewed US strikes on Iranian territory.

Speaking to the Iranian Young Journalists Club news agency, IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohabi revealed that the nation is in the preparatory stages of revealing the new weapon, describing it as something unprecedented for the adversary. However, Mohabi refrained from disclosing specifics about the weapon's type, explosive power, operational capabilities, or unveiling date.

The disclosure follows US media reports suggesting that the Pentagon had prepared plans to utilize the GBU-43/B bomb, known colloquially as the "Mother of All Bombs" (MOAB), against targets within Iran. This bomb, weighing approximately 9.8 metric tons (20,000 pounds), is among the most potent conventional weapons in the US arsenal.

First deployed in April 2017 during then-President Donald Trump's administration against an ISIS tunnel complex in Afghanistan, the bomb is designed to generate a powerful blast wave over a broad area but is not engineered to breach deep underground structures like specialized bunker-busting bombs. In an exclusive interview with Newsmax on Thursday, Trump discussed the potential use of the weapon, emphasizing that it is not a nuclear bomb, but did not rule out employing the conventional bomb in a strike against Iran.

Concurrently, Mohabi announced that Iran's missile inventory has expanded by 50% since the 12-day conflict against Israel in June 2025, asserting that the country has also markedly enhanced the quality of its missiles, their operational reach, destructive capability, and targeting precision. Still, the spokesperson did not furnish figures to substantiate these claims independently.

Additionally, Mohabi addressed the Strait of Hormuz, disputing US assertions that it remains open. He stated that while a few small vessels might slip past the guard, this does not indicate the Strait's openness but rather signifies piracy and smuggling. At best, he claimed, the US might have smuggled one or two million barrels of oil at a significant cost.

Mohabi clarified that an "open" Strait of Hormuz would entail unrestricted access for vessels irrespective of origin or destination, akin to the conditions prevailing before the 40-Day War (operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion). This announcement comes amidst the ongoing exchange of threats between Tehran and Washington. The latest revelation adds to the escalating cycle of threats following the February war between the US, Israel, and Iran, during which Tehran targeted Israeli and US military installations in Arab nations.

Despite a June memorandum of understanding signed between Washington and Tehran, negotiations between the two nations collapsed over disputes concerning freedom of navigation and security in the Strait of Hormuz.