U.S. reportedly considers use of 'mother of all bombs' as Iran vows to fight on

NEW: US military has reportedly drawn up strike options on Iran that include using the 'mother of all bombs', one of its biggest non-nuclear weapons, as Tehran vows to fight on.

The Pentagon has reportedly drawn up strike options on Iran that include the mother of all bombs.

That's the GBU-43, a 21,600 pound air-blast weapon, one of the biggest non-nuclear bombs America owns. It's been used in combat exactly once, in Afghanistan in 2017, and never against targets inside Iran. CNN cites multiple US officials, and the Defense Department isn't commenting.

President Trump said last week he wouldn't resume strikes before the November 3 midterms. But the region isn't waiting. A container ship went down in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, and Iran-backed Houthis keep hitting Saudi Arabia. In Tehran, Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf says Iran will keep pressing until Washington lifts its blockade, drops sanctions and pulls its forces out of the region. Iran is reportedly reinforcing defences around its nuclear and energy sites right now.

Both sides say they don't want an endless war. Both sides are preparing for one.

This is Angel Manalo, reporting for HIT.