US weighs ‘mother of all bombs’ against Iran a...

Summary

• The reported planning comes as the US president predicts that the war will end “very soon”, even as attacks on commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz intensify and threaten a vital route for global energy supplies.
• Trump predicts war will end soon Speaking to reporters in Montana late Wednesday, Trump said the conflict would end soon and predicted a sharp decline in oil prices once hostilities ceased.
• Commercial ships sink near Strait of Hormuz Meanwhile, maritime security concerns have intensified after two commercial vessels sank near the Strait of Hormuz following separate projectile strikes, according to maritime officials.

AI Generated Summary

WASHINGTON: The US military has developed contingency plans that could involve deploying the “mother of all bombs” against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if President Donald Trump orders a resumption of combat operations, CNN reported on Thursday, citing US officials familiar with the discussions.

The potential use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb, the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, would represent a significant escalation in the conflict with Iran. However, questions remain over whether such a strike would achieve Washington’s strategic objectives, according to officials cited in the report.

Reuters said it could not immediately verify CNN’s report. There was no confirmation that Trump had authorised the weapon’s use.

The reported planning comes as the US president predicts that the war will end “very soon”, even as attacks on commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz intensify and threaten a vital route for global energy supplies.

Trump predicts war will end soon

Speaking to reporters in Montana late Wednesday, Trump said the conflict would end soon and predicted a sharp decline in oil prices once hostilities ceased.

“The Iran war will end very soon … Soon, as they want it to end,” he said.