Written by: Ahmed Abdel Salam
The US military has drawn up new military plans that include the possibility of using the massive GBU-43/B bomb, known as the "Mother of All Bombs," to target energy infrastructure and nuclear sites in Iran. These moves come in the event that presidential orders are issued to resume military operations, which could represent a major escalation in the region.
Strike Strategy and Energy Targeting
The prepared military plans include strike packages targeting massive facilities belonging to the Iranian energy sector. Estimates indicate that these attacks may precede any potential decision to withdraw US forces from the Central Command area of responsibility, as the administration seeks to implement strategic strikes before changing the map of military presence.
Fears of Targeting Nuclear Sites and Jabal al-Fas
The plans explicitly address the possibility of using the "Mother of All Bombs" against sites linked to the Iranian nuclear program, most notably the Jabal al-Fas area. The US approaches are based on beliefs that nuclear components are stored deep within that area, making it a potential target for heavy weapons capable of causing widespread destruction.
Technical Capabilities and Field Challenges of the Mother of All Bombs
The Mother of All Bombs is the largest non-nuclear conventional weapon in the US arsenal, weighing approximately 9,850 kilograms, with the explosive mass comprising 86.3% of its total weight. Despite its massive destructive power equivalent to 11 tons of TNT, experts doubt its ability to penetrate deep fortifications made of granite, as its explosive power is concentrated primarily at the surface of the earth.
This mission also faces logistical challenges related to the launch system; the bomb requires modified C-130 family transport aircraft to reach suitable launch locations, given its lack of self-propulsion, making its execution fraught with risk in the event of active Iranian air defense systems in the region.
