Trump threatens strike on Iran’s buried Pickaxe Mountain site
The fortified complex near Natanz has drawn new U.S. threats as Washington and Tehran trade attacks across southern Iran and the Gulf.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified nuclear-related site south of Tehran, as U.S.-Iran fighting intensifies. The site matters because U.S. intelligence reports, cited by Al Jazeera, describe it as deeply buried and difficult to destroy, while Iran says it is for centrifuge assembly and manufacturing.
Trump told The Hugh Hewitt Show that the United States was watching the facility closely and said Washington would “probably give Pickaxe a hit relatively soon.” He also said U.S. officials did not see activity there, according to Al Jazeera.
What is Pickaxe Mountain?
Al Jazeera reported that Pickaxe Mountain is a heavily fortified site near the Natanz nuclear facility and contains two underground tunnel complexes. A satellite image distributed by Vantor and carried by Reuters showed tunnel entrances in the mountainous area near Natanz on June 30, according to Al Jazeera.
U.S. intelligence reports say the facility was dug deep into a mountain under hundreds of metres of granite rock, Al Jazeera reported. That depth is intended to shield the complex from bombs designed to penetrate bunkers, according to those reports.
The U.S.-based Al-Monitor website reported that intelligence agencies suspect Iran may be trying to build an undeclared uranium-enrichment facility there as a strategic fallback for its nuclear programme. Tehran has said since construction began in 2020 that the site is meant only to assemble and manufacture advanced centrifuges, according to Al Jazeera.
U.S. strikes expand
The threat came as U.S. Central Command said it had launched a new wave of strikes on Iran on Monday, the third consecutive night of operations. CENTCOM said the five-hour attack used precision-guided munitions against Iranian coastal-defence systems, missile and drone sites, and naval capabilities.
CENTCOM said the strikes were aimed at weakening Iran’s military capabilities, according to Al Jazeera. Tehran blamed Washington for the “return of insecurity” to the region, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accused the United States of putting global oil supplies at risk through its attacks.
Iranian media reported explosions in several southern areas, including Kish, Qeshm and Abu Musa islands, as well as Bandar Abbas and Jam. Fars news agency cited local sources saying blasts were heard in those areas, while Mehr news agency reported explosions on Qeshm and Kish.
Iran’s official news agency said three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, and Iranian state television reported two explosions on Kish Island. Iranian authorities did not give details on damage or possible casualties, according to Al Jazeera.
Mehr quoted an official in Khuzestan province as saying four people were injured in U.S. attacks on areas in Omidiyeh, in southwestern Iran. Nour News reported that three boats caught fire at the port of Kish Island after attacks there on Monday night.
Diplomacy still mentioned
Trump also told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that an agreement with Tehran to end the war was “certainly possible,” according to Al Jazeera. His comments came while Washington continued strikes and reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports, Al Jazeera reported.
The dispute over Pickaxe Mountain adds another flashpoint to a conflict already affecting southern Iran and waters near the Strait of Hormuz. For now, the United States is publicly threatening a site Iran says has a civilian nuclear-industrial role, while U.S.-linked assessments point to possible undeclared enrichment work.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.