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White House prepares plans to use weapon dubbed "mother of all bombs" on Iran, sources say
CBS News • • nation
Key Points:
- The White House and Pentagon have prepared plans to use the Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb (MOAB) against Iranian military sites if President Trump orders it, according to sources cited by CBS News.
- The MOAB, the largest U.S. non-nuclear bomb weighing over 30,000 pounds, was previously used by Trump in 2017 against ISIS in Afghanistan and costs around $170,000 per unit.
- President Trump has kept military options open regarding Iran, emphasizing that the U.S. will prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, while also mentioning productive but unspecified talks with Iran.
- Tensions have fluctuated recently, with the U.S. enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports and targeting conventional military sites near the Strait of Hormuz, amid ongoing threats and attacks on shipping that affect global oil prices.
- Trump has indicated a critical decision point between striking a deal with Iran or taking more aggressive military action, as stated in his recent United Nations General Assembly speech.
