WASHINGTON: According to The Express Tribune, citing Reuters, CNN has reported that the US military has drawn up strike plans that could include using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, widely known as the "mother of all bombs", against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites.
CNN cited US officials familiar with the matter and said the option would apply if President Donald Trump orders renewed combat operations. Reuters said it could not immediately verify the report.
Using the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal would mark a significant escalation, the report said, although officials familiar with the planning told CNN that questions remain over how effective it would be in achieving Washington's strategic goals.
Separately, Trump told reporters in Montana late on Wednesday that the war with Iran would end "very soon" and predicted oil prices would fall sharply once it does. He said Iran would never have a nuclear weapon.
Speaking at a rally in Montana, Trump also said he was unsure which Iranian officials Washington was negotiating with. He claimed US strikes had sunk all 159 of Iran's naval vessels and left its fighter jets unusable, claims that could not be independently verified.
The Express Tribune also reported that a container ship and a dry bulk carrier sank near the Strait of Hormuz within 24 hours after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, as Iran says it is stepping up attacks in response to the US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions.