by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – The United States has moved to replenish its stockpile of GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker-buster bombs, it was revealed this week, as tensions with Tehran remain elevated.
According to a partially redacted Pentagon justification document, the purchase is considered “critically needed” to replenish munitions expended in the June 21 Operation Midnight Hammer strike. Defense officials stressed that any delay in issuing the contract would weaken force readiness, erode strategic deterrence, and hinder efforts aimed at preventing nuclear proliferation.
Boeing is the only company that manufactures the GBU-57. The Air Force said the firm has developed unique expertise over nearly two decades as the weapon evolved from proof-of-concept to full operational capability, making a competitive bidding process impractical for this highly specialized munition.
Weighing 30,000 pounds, the MOP is the most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the U.S. arsenal. Designed to destroy hard and deeply buried targets, it can penetrate up to 200 feet of earth or 60 feet of reinforced concrete, making it suitable for striking fortified underground facilities.
The weapon saw its first operational use during Operation Midnight Hammer, when seven B-2 Spirit bombers dropped 14 MOPs on Iranian nuclear sites, including the heavily fortified Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, as well as nuclear facilities located at Natanz and Isfahan.
The contract’s total value, delivery schedule, and the number of bombs being purchased were not disclosed, but the move signals Washington’s intent to maintain a credible military option as diplomatic and military pressures on Iran continue.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Concerns remained Friday over the whereabouts of more than a dozen Christians who were reportedly detained during a recent gathering in the authoritarian-ruled East African nation.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Friday that more than 1,400 Hezbollah terrorists have been eliminated since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, as Israeli forces continue to target the terrorist organization in southern Lebanon.
Planned Parenthood reported in its latest annual report that it performed a record number of abortions even as its other healthcare services sharply declined—fueling renewed calls from pro-life organizations to defund the nation’s largest abortion provider.
The annual U.S. inflation rate climbed sharply in March, fueled largely by soaring energy costs tied to the ongoing conflict with Iran, according to new data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on April 10.
U.S. President Donald Trump declared in a Truth Social post that U.S. military forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until a “real agreement” is fully honored, signaling continued pressure on Tehran despite a temporary pause in hostilities.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered his government to begin negotiations with Lebanon “as soon as possible,” with a clear objective: the disarmament of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror group.
A resolution to halt U.S. military hostilities in Iran failed to advance in the U.S. House pro forma session Thursday.