The US military has drawn up new strike plans that include possible use of its largest non-nuclear weapon, the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites.
The plans would come into play if US President Donald Trump orders combat operations to resume, either before or after the midterm elections, CNN reported on Thursday, citing multiple US officials familiar with the matter.
Using the bomb, known as the MOAB or the "mother of all bombs", would be a notable escalation, as it has not been used in the conflict so far.
The outlet's sources said there were doubts over whether it could help achieve Trump's stated goals or shift the balance of the war.
One source cited in the report said that Trump had asked the military to develop additional strike packages that include "a lot of energy infrastructure" and the possible use of a MOAB.
A second source reportedly said plans for striking Iranian nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain, also explicitly call for the bomb. The US and Israel believe Tehran has stored components of its nuclear programme there, and Trump has repeatedly threatened to hit it.
Officials also questioned whether the weapon would work. While the GPS-guided bomb can devastate an area roughly equal to nine city blocks, it likely cannot penetrate deep enough to destroy facilities buried under layers of granite.
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A third source called it a weapon for clearing large areas, "definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead". Its huge blast radius would also raise concerns about civilian casualties if used near populated areas.
Sources also suggested the bomb's value may be psychological, as an option short of full-scale combat that could pressure a regime that appears unwilling to bend to Washington's diplomatic demands. MOAB was originally developed with psychological operations in mind.
The report comes as the war, now in its seventh month of US bombing, is deeply unpopular and Republicans brace for a backlash at the polls. CNN said there is little sign of a negotiated settlement.
Trump has publicly said he will take no new action before the midterms, but some advisers privately told CNN they were unsure whether that would hold.
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Planners have also been looking for an "off-ramp" that offers a symbolic win, starting with a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to the network.
A White House official reportedly told that Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure Iran never has a nuclear weapon. The Pentagon said it plans for a wide range of scenarios.
The US used the MOAB for the first time in combat in 2017, during Trump's first term, against ISIS tunnels in Afghanistan.
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