THE United States and Iran have raised the prospect of a new phase in their conflict, with Washington reportedly considering its 9,979kg “Mother of All Bombs” for a strike on an underground Iranian nuclear site while Tehran says it is preparing to unveil a weapon dubbed the “Father of All Bombs”.
The New York Times reported that US and Israeli military commanders were drawing up plans for a short but intense campaign targeting Iran’s nuclear sites, energy infrastructure, missile arsenals and drones after the US midterm elections.
US President Donald Trump has reportedly proposed using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb against the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site, which is buried beneath thick layers of granite.
However, the weapon’s effectiveness against deeply fortified underground facilities remains uncertain. CNN reported that US military planners had questioned whether the bomb could penetrate the rock and destroy the targeted nuclear infrastructure.
The GPS-guided conventional bomb can devastate a large area, but its ability to achieve Washington’s strategic objectives against Iran’s deeply buried facilities is in doubt.
Officials cited in reports said Trump was particularly interested in the weapon, partly because of its name.
Meanwhile, Hossein Mohabi, a spokesman for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, said Tehran was preparing to unveil a new weapon in response to the escalating confrontation.
“We are in the preparation stage of unveiling the ‘Father of All Bombs.’ It is a new weapon for our enemies,” he told YJCNA on Wednesday.
Mohabi did not reveal the weapon’s type, destructive power, operational capabilities or when it would be unveiled.
The reported weapons plans come as Brent crude rose 2.68 per cent to US$111.74 a barrel on Thursday, amid concerns that renewed US-Israeli strikes could further disrupt energy supplies.
Trump had pledged earlier this month not to launch fresh attacks before the midterm elections, which are approaching in about 12 days. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth visited Israel this week to discuss the reported plans with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Some US planners reportedly believe a three-day bombing campaign could further weaken Iran’s economy and pressure Tehran to make concessions over its nuclear programme after nearly eight months of war. However, there is no guarantee that the operation will proceed, as Trump has previously cancelled planned military action.
Iran has warned that any new attacks could trigger retaliation against a wider range of targets, including oil tankers, energy facilities, data centres and undersea internet cables.
“Our attacks will be more devastating, creative and different,” said Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Iran’s chief negotiator. - October 23, 2026