- Trump threatened to bomb the underground nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain during a press conference, stating, "We'll be hitting that area ... probably pretty soon. And there's not a thing they can do about it," on July 21, 2026.
- Pickaxe Mountain is located about 225 kilometers south of Tehran, next to the Natanz nuclear enrichment facility, and has been under construction since 2020.
- In 2023, an analysis estimated the facility's depth at 80-100 meters, with some experts suggesting it could be even deeper.
- After the 2025 strikes on Natanz, construction at Pickaxe Mountain accelerated, indicating Iran's intent to enhance its nuclear capabilities.
- During the 12-day war in 2025, the U.S. bombed Natanz, but Pickaxe Mountain remained untouched.
- Experts believe the size of the construction project at Pickaxe Mountain indicates it could be used to enrich uranium and build centrifuges.
- Trump's comments have escalated tensions with Iran, with the Iranian military warning that an attack would be seen as "an explosion of war in the region."
- Iran has previously enriched uranium up to nearly weapons-grade levels of 60% before the 2025 strikes.
- Construction at Pickaxe Mountain is a response to earlier attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, including repeated sabotage attacks on Natanz.
President Donald Trump has intensified U.S.-Iran tensions by threatening to bomb the underground nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain, located about 225 kilometers south of Tehran.123413
"We'll be hitting that area ... probably pretty soon. And there's not a thing they can do about it," Trump stated during a press conference.
The facility, known as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz, is reportedly being constructed at depths between 80 meters (260 feet) and 100 meters (328 feet), making it a challenging target for U.S. military operations.
Experts from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies suggest that the site could enable Iran to enrich uranium and build centrifuges, potentially advancing its nuclear capabilities.11
"The size of the construction project indicates Iran will likely be able to use the underground facility to enrich uranium as well as to build centrifuges," analysts noted.14
The U.S. military has developed the GBU-57 bomb, capable of penetrating 60 meters (200 feet) of earth, but it remains uncertain if this would suffice against a facility as deep as Pickaxe Mountain.
"An attack on the nuclear site might drive Iran’s nuclear operations even deeper underground, completely ending diplomatic oversight and accelerating their pursuit of a weapon," experts warn.
Iran's military command has responded, stating that any U.S. attack would be viewed as "an explosion of war in the region," threatening retaliation against American interests.
The site has been under construction since 2020, following previous attacks on Iran's nuclear infrastructure, and remains largely inaccessible to international inspectors.
“The facility near Natanz is estimated to be 80-100 meters deep, potentially beyond the reach of the U.S. GBU-57 bunker buster. Construction accelerated after the 2025 strikes, and experts say it could house centrifuge assembly for a nuclear weapons program.”
Deccan Chronicle
CNBC
