Why is Trump threatening to strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain again, now? | US-Israel war on Iran News
Trump Threatens U.S. Strike on Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain Amid Escalating Tensions
President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States may soon target Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified underground site linked to its nuclear program. This threat was made during a press conference at the White House, where Trump stated that U.S. intelligence closely monitors activities at Pickaxe Mountain and other locations across Iran.
Shortly after Trump’s comments, an Iranian oil tanker near Kharg Island reported being struck by U.S. missiles, according to the Iranian news outlet Khabar Fouri. Kharg Island is a crucial hub for Iranian oil exports, accounting for approximately 90% of the country’s oil shipments.
The threat against Pickaxe Mountain follows similar statements made by Trump earlier in July, when he warned, “We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ready … We’ll probably give Pickaxe a shot relatively soon.”
This latest revelation comes more than six months into a conflict initiated by the U.S. and Israel against Iran on February 28. In recent days, Trump has attempted to downplay the situation by referring to the conflict as “small potatoes.” Additionally, Vice President JD Vance, at a separate press briefing, suggested the conflict had cooled, referring to recent U.S. strikes as incidents where “sometimes things happen.”
Despite this portrayal, both the U.S. and Iran have engaged in military exchanges in recent days, including a strike near Iran’s oil infrastructure on Kharg Island. Diplomatic negotiations surrounding Iran’s nuclear program remain stalled, following the expiration of a 60-day negotiating window in mid-August without reaching a new agreement.
Iran maintains that it is not currently conducting any activities at the Natanz nuclear site, which is located approximately 2 kilometers from Pickaxe Mountain. The country’s Khatam al-Anbiya military headquarters has warned that bombing the mountain would lead to a resurgence of conflict in the region, complicating the Trump administration’s strategy as it seeks to contain the conflict ahead of midterm elections.
Pickaxe Mountain, known in Iran as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is situated about 220 kilometers south of Tehran, near Isfahan. U.S. intelligence assessments indicate the facility is excavated deep within solid granite, designed to withstand high-impact bombings. Its main chambers are believed to be at least 100 meters underground.
Security experts speculate that the mountain may house an undeclared enrichment plant as a precaution against attacks on known facilities. The Institute for Science and International Security, which monitors the site via satellite, has reported that it remains under construction and is not yet operational. Iran, however, insists that its nuclear ambitions are solely for peaceful purposes.
Analysts assert that Pickaxe Mountain’s intact status during the ongoing conflict, which has seen significant damage to other Iranian nuclear facilities, makes it a potential site for rebuilding Iran’s centrifuge capabilities. Recently, reports have circulated that Israeli intelligence indicated the movement of thousands of centrifuges into the mountain, a claim that remains unverified by U.S. agencies.
According to various assessments, Iran’s nuclear program has sustained considerable damage from U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, particularly during the June 2025 attacks on facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The European Council on Foreign Relations estimates that many of the approximately 18,000 centrifuges in operation before the strikes were destroyed.
Trump has previously stated that these facilities had been “completely and totally obliterated,” although subsequent assessments indicated that while there was significant damage, the facilities were not completely destroyed. The current state of Iran’s nuclear capabilities remains ambiguous.
Despite earlier claims of progress in curbing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Trump asserted on Friday that U.S. efforts had successfully prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, thereby protecting the region, including Israel. In contrast, Tehran has consistently emphasized the peaceful intentions of its nuclear program and dismissed U.S. threats as unfounded provocations.
