The United States could turn to its powerful GBU-43/B MOAB, widely known as the «Mother of All Bombs,» to strike Iran’s heavily fortified underground defense facilities. However, Washington may have far fewer of these massive weapons available than it once did. Military analyst Alexey Leonkov, editor of the Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine, discussed the possibility in an interview with NEWS.ru.
According to Leonkov, American forces have already deployed such bombs against Iran, using up nearly half of their stockpile before switching to other weapons. He found it particularly surprising that MOAB bombs were absent from Operation Epic Fury. The expert suggested that the Pentagon’s limited remaining supply of powerful munitions could explain that decision.
Washington nevertheless remains determined to target Iran’s military-industrial infrastructure, including production facilities buried deep beneath rock formations or protected by reinforced concrete shelters. Leonkov believes that striking these hardened sites with GBU-43/B bombs would require B-1 bombers capable of carrying the weapons.
Yet the analyst questioned why the United States would publicly discuss such an attack before carrying it out. By revealing the possibility of using MOAB, Washington is effectively giving Tehran advance notice of what may be coming. Leonkov expects Iranian authorities to use that warning to strengthen their preparations against a potential strike.
The discussion also comes amid growing speculation about whether President Donald Trump might be referring to tactical nuclear weapons when speaking of exceptionally powerful military capabilities. Leonkov pointed to the increasingly frequent suggestions that Washington could consider such an option against Iran.
In his assessment, however, crossing the nuclear threshold would open a dangerous Pandora’s box. The use of tactical nuclear weapons would provoke international condemnation and establish a precedent that could pave the way for further military operations involving such arms. Leonkov believes these consequences help explain why Trump has instead raised the prospect of deploying the conventional but exceptionally powerful MOAB against Iranian targets.