White House prepares plans to use weapon dubbed "mother of all bombs" on Iran, sources say

Updated on: October 15, 2026 / 4:12 PM EDT / CBS News

White House prepares plans to use weapon dubbed "mother of all bombs" on Iran, sources say

TL;DR

  • The White House and Pentagon have reportedly prepared plans to use a Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb on Iranian military sites.
  • This potential deployment would be contingent on an order from President Trump.
  • President Trump has previously stated that all options are on the table to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
  • The MOAB, also known as the 'mother of all bombs,' is the largest U.S. non-nuclear weapon.
  • The U.S. has been enforcing a blockade on Iranian ports and monitoring oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz amidst ongoing tensions.
  • Previous U.S. strikes over the summer targeted Iranian conventional military capabilities near the Strait of Hormuz.