The United States military has developed strike plans that could involve using its largest non-nuclear bomb against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if President Donald Trump orders renewed combat operations, CNN reported on Thursday (October 15), citing US officials familiar with the discussions.
The potential use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), widely known as the “mother of all bombs”, would mark a significant escalation in the conflict. However, officials told CNN that questions remain over whether such strikes would achieve Washington’s strategic objectives.
Tensions have intensified around the Strait of Hormuz following fresh maritime incidents and conflicting claims over control of the strategic shipping route.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy Commander Ali Azmaei said the US claim that the strait remained fully open was “completely contrary to reality”. He said Iranian forces were monitoring the Persian Gulf and the strait around the clock and warned that vessels must obtain authorisation to pass or face a response.
The IRGC said on Wednesday that a cargo vessel carrying 2,500 containers had sunk after striking a mine and catching fire while attempting to navigate what it described as an unauthorised, high-risk route. The Iranian navy warned nearby vessels and fishermen to watch out for floating containers.
The US Central Command, meanwhile, said American forces destroyed an Iran-linked dhow in the Gulf of Oman on October 6, alleging that the vessel had been monitoring and targeting US Navy ships. CENTCOM said the crew had been evacuated before the strike.
The conflict is also becoming an issue in the US midterm election campaign, with Democrats seeking to make gains in districts traditionally dominated by Republicans, including areas with large military and veteran populations.
In Colorado’s 5th Congressional District, retired Air Force Colonel Lou Christensen, a registered Republican and 28-year veteran, is backing Democratic candidate Jessica Killin against first-term Republican Representative Jeff Crank. The conservative district includes several major military facilities, including NORAD, Fort Carson and the Air Force Academy.
Christensen said Congress needed to establish limits on presidential power, arguing that the legislative branch must challenge actions it considers unconstitutional.
Democrats are investing in the race despite the district’s Republican lean, hoping that opposition to the war with Iran and upheaval within the armed forces could broaden their opportunities to win seats and regain control of the House of Representatives.
Veterans have historically leaned Republican, with nearly six in 10 voting for Trump in 2024, according to AP VoteCast. Trump won Colorado’s 5th District by nine percentage points that year, and veterans account for nearly one in nine residents.
Killin, herself a military veteran, told voters at a recent gathering that the conflict and the administration’s foreign policy had damaged the United States’ standing internationally.
The developments highlight how the confrontation with Iran could have consequences beyond the battlefield, shaping debates over military escalation, presidential authority and the balance of power in Congress ahead of the November midterms.
(With agency inputs from Reuters and AP via PTI)