The Sun, on Iran, 15 October 2026

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Comment now Next DONALD Trump is reportedly considering dropping one of his most powerful weapons – nicknamed the “mother of all bombs” – on Iran. The huge 21,600lb “smart bomb” could form part of Washington’s on Tehran’s energy infrastructure and nuclear sites. 6 A GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb being launched in November 2003 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida Credit: Shutterstock 6 The huge 21,600lb “smart bomb” could form part of Washington’s war-ending assault on Tehran’s energy infrastructure and nuclear sites Credit: EPA Advertisement US military officials have developed strike plans that include using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), reports CNN .

The bomb is a precision-guided “smart bomb” which is intended to cause maximum damage to bunkers, tunnels and any areas hard to penetrate. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! Email address Please provide a valid email. Your info will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy You'll now receive top stories, breaking news, and more, straight to your email. Trump has made it a priority of his war goals to stop Iran from being able to harness or develop nuclear uranium which can be used to make nukes.

Iran’s secret stockpile of uranium is reportedly stashed beneath hundreds of feet of earth and concrete at the underground Is fahan nuclear complex and at other damaged sites like Natanz and Fordo . Read more in Iran CALL TO ARMS Iran's rebels are strangling Middle East - UK must fight, ex-Nato boss warns BOMBER RUSH US withdraws bombers from RAF Fairford amid 'new threats' after 'Iran plot' 6 Trump has made it a priority of his war goals to stop Iran from being able to harness or develop nuclear uranium which can be used to make nukes Credit: Reuters 6 Trump has already unleashed strikes on these bases using bunker-buster bombs but didn’t manage to eliminate all of the stockpiles.

Left out here: Leaves out what changes the picture

The article never says the IAEA found no credible indication of a coordinated Iranian weapons programme. Without it, and with "nuke fortress" and a deal "involving nuclear weapons", a reader believes Iran's weapons programme is established fact.

How we know

The MOAB is one of the largest non- nuclear bombs in . Advertisement It is capable of devastating an area equivalent to nine city blocks if used effectively. Trump is reportedly still weighing up plans for a fresh offensive on Iran after his war, which started back in February, has faltered in recent weeks. Most read in The Sun BALD MOVE Cops hunt two men wearing 'Clare Balding' face masks in criminal damage probe CRUSHING BLOW Putin humiliated as SIX Su-34 bombers 'destroyed' in Russian airbase strike DEADLY DOWNPOUR Horror flash floods batter Brit hols hotspot killing two as cars swept away BRAKE EXPECTATIONS Why the M60 closed today - latest updates after motorway police incident Both sides have been trying to secure a deal involving nuclear weapons , the Strait of Hormuz and major sanctions.

with officials now urging Trump to end the war with punishing aerial assaults. 6 A huge blast from a MOAB bomb at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida Credit: Handout – Getty Advertisement 6 The monster weapon was dropped on ISIS caves in Afghanistan just in 2017 Credit: EPA Trump and his advisers have discussed options to cause a “definitive” end to the war for months, according to reports. The conflict, which has driven up oil prices and led to turmoil over global trade, is hugely unfavourable to the average American.

It comes ahead of the midterm elections which could make or break Trump’s political power for his remaining years in office. Trump has ordered his officials to draw up strike packages against Iranian targets that include “a lot of energy infrastructure”. Advertisement This includes the MOAB. The Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb has been used by Trump before less than a decade ago. A US plane dropped the monster weapon on ISIS caves in Afghanistan just days after an American Special Forces soldier was killed during a joint U.S.-Afghan offensive against the Islamic State in 2017.

A second source again said the MOAB is likely on the cards as it will be needed if the US wants to strike targets such as Pickaxe Mountain. The US has long been aiming to deploy a double-tap technique to blow Iran’s “invincible” 300ft deep nuclear base to smithereens. Advertisement Shrouded in secrecy, the heavily fortified bunker is under 300ft of solid granite. Washington’s GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) is also rumoured to be a potential weapon Trump could drop.

Some sources are not keen on the MOAB as it isn’t a specialised bunker destroying weapon. One Pentagon source said: “The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else. “It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead.” Advertisement An enormous blast radius also raises severe concerns over civilian casualties who could be caught up in the bombing campaign. It comes after captured US helicopters striking an with missiles out at sea.

RECOMMENDED STORIES A huge onboard fireball erupted as US Central Command said the boat was “conducting surveillance and targeting US Navy ships in the Gulf of Oman”. The strike came before a cargo ship carrying 2,500 containers hit an Iranian sea mine – the first vessel to be sunk by one since the war broke out. Comment now

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What we found (8)

The Sun turns a CNN report that Trump is considering the MOAB into a headline saying he is readying it to finally destroy an Iranian "nuke fortress", though its own sources say the bomb cannot reach deep bunkers. In its own voice it calls the planned assault "war-ending", presumes a weapons programme the IAEA found no credible sign of, says diplomacy failed without the Trump rejection of Iran's proposal it reported earlier, and calls a boat the US struck a "spy boat" on US Central Command's word.

  1. Headline goes beyond the article

    Serious

    “Trump readying to unleash ‘mother of all bombs’ to finally destroy Iran’s underground nuke fortress”

    Why this matters
    The headline says Trump is "readying to unleash" the bomb "to finally destroy" an underground site, with no attribution.
    The impression it gives
    That a decision has been made and that the MOAB will destroy Iran's deep underground facility.
    The context
    The body says Trump is only "reportedly considering" the bomb, on a CNN report. A Pentagon source quoted in the article says the MOAB is not built to penetrate deep bunkers, so the body does not support "finally destroy".

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“reportedly considering dropping one of his most powerful weapons”
    • Elsewhere in the article“definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead”
    • Elsewhere in the article“isn’t a specialised bunker destroying weapon”

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    Trump is reportedly considering the ‘mother of all bombs’ for strikes on Iran, CNN says, though Pentagon sources doubt it can reach deep underground sites.

  2. Labels people on one side's word

    Serious

    “Iranian spy boat”

    Why this matters
    The Sun calls the boat US helicopters struck an "Iranian spy boat" in its own voice.
    The impression it gives
    That the boat and its crew were established to be spying, so the strike was justified.
    The context
    The only basis in the article is US Central Command's statement about the boat, which the next sentence attributes to it.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“US Central Command said the boat was”

    Show it in the article

    Written straight

    US helicopters struck an Iranian boat with missiles; US Central Command said it was conducting surveillance on US Navy ships.

  3. States one side's claim as fact

    Minor

    “nuke fortress”

    Why this matters
    The Sun's headline calls the Iranian site a "nuke fortress" in its own voice.
    The impression it gives
    That the site is an established nuclear weapons facility.
    The context
    The site's purpose is a Western claim. The Times reports only that Western officials believe it may hold components of the nuclear programme, and the IAEA said it had no credible indication of a coordinated weapons programme.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

    “feared to be where Tehran is constructing an indestructible atomic plant”

    Why this matters
    The Sun says the bunker is "feared" to house an atomic plant but never says who fears it.
    The impression it gives
    That a general, neutral consensus holds Iran is building a hidden atomic plant there.
    The context
    The belief belongs to Western officials, as The Times attributes it, and the IAEA's finding of no credible indication of a coordinated weapons programme is not given.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  4. States one side's claim as fact

    Minor

    “war-ending assault”

    Why this matters
    The Sun describes the planned US strikes as a "war-ending assault" in its own voice.
    The impression it gives
    That the assault would end the war, as a matter of fact.
    The context
    Ending the war is Washington's stated aim, not an established outcome. The article's own sources doubt the bomb's usefulness, and The Times reports it could amount to little more than a "fireworks show".

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  5. Drops what it reported before

    Minor

    “But diplomacy has all but failed”

    Why this matters
    The Sun says diplomacy "has all but failed" with no actor, as if talks collapsed on their own.
    The impression it gives
    That neither side is to blame and no live proposal exists.
    The context
    Two weeks earlier The Sun reported that Trump rejected Iran's latest ceasefire proposal and that Iran's foreign minister said its steps could be completed within days.

    How we know

    Show it in the article

  6. Uses a loaded word

    Minor

    “Trump’s impressive arsenal”

    Why this matters
    The Sun calls the US weapons stockpile "impressive" in its own voice.
    The impression it gives
    That the outlet admires the weapons being lined up against Iran.
    The context
    Nothing in the article supports a verdict of admiration; the article itself notes severe concerns over civilian casualties from the bomb.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“raises severe concerns over civilian casualties”

    Show it in the article

    “daring footage”

    Why this matters
    The Sun calls footage of a US missile strike on a boat "daring".
    The impression it gives
    That the strike was a brave feat.
    The context
    The article gives no fact that makes the strike daring; it reports a fireball on board a boat hit by missiles.

    How we know

    • Elsewhere in the article“A huge onboard fireball erupted”

    Show it in the article

  7. One side gets the space

    Minor

    “One military source claimed”

    Why this matters
    US military sources, Pentagon sources and US Central Command supply every account in the article.
    The impression it gives
    That the US side's account is the whole story.
    The context
    No Iranian official or Iranian response appears anywhere in the article, though Iran's foreign minister was quoted in The Sun's own earlier reporting.

    Show it in the article

  8. Leaves out what changes the picture

    Minor

    What is missing

    The article never says the IAEA found no credible indication of a coordinated Iranian weapons programme. Without it, and with "nuke fortress" and a deal "involving nuclear weapons", a reader believes Iran's weapons programme is established fact.

    How we know

    Show where it belongs

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