Rumors Swirl That Russia Has Dropped 'Father of All Bombs'

Unconfirmed reports from Syria claim

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that Russia has dropped what is considered the largest, most powerful non-nuclear bomb in the world. According to reports on Twitter, the bomb was allegedly dropped near the Syrian city of Deir ez-Zor.

The gigantic bomb, officially the Aviation Thermobaric Bomb of Increased Power (ATBIP), is also know as the "Father of All Bombs" (FOAB). FOAB is a so-called thermobaric weapon, a type of munition that releases a cloud of flammable gas over the target before detonating it. In addition to the heat of the explosion, this approach also creates a deadly pressure wave that is particularly damaging against enclosed spaces, including tanks, caves, and bunkers.