U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Iran’s underground nuclear site, Pickaxe Mountain, as tensions escalate in the 2025 conflict over the Strait of Hormuz, with experts warning of a prolonged standoff.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to strike an underground Iranian nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain, located near the Natanz enrichment site, as the U.S. and Iran exchange attacks over control of the Strait of Hormuz. The site, described by U.S. officials as a potential target for the GBU-57 bomb, has remained untouched despite repeated sabotage of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. Trump’s remarks, made in the Oval Office, suggest a shift toward military action as diplomatic efforts falter.
The Site and Its Strategic Significance
Pickaxe Mountain, officially named Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is an underground facility under construction near Iran’s Natanz nuclear site, about 225 kilometers south of Tehran. Built after earlier attacks on Natanz, including a 2025 strike by the U.S. during a 12-day war between Iran and Israel, the site is protected by anti-aircraft batteries and Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Satellite images show multiple entrances, and experts estimate it could be dug as deep as 100 meters, making it a challenging target for conventional bombs.
The U.S. military developed the GBU-57 bomb to penetrate 60 meters of earth, but its effectiveness against a deeper site like Pickaxe Mountain remains uncertain. Analysts at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, cited in a 2023 Associated Press report, suggested the facility could be used for uranium enrichment, a capability Iran has long pursued despite international sanctions. The site’s construction has continued since 2023, with some experts speculating it may be even deeper than initially estimated.
Trump’s Escalation and the Road to Conflict
Trump’s threats to bomb Pickaxe Mountain emerged amid escalating hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, including attacks on U.S. military sites in Bahrain and Kuwait. In a July 2026 address, Trump acknowledged the site as a potential target, stating, We’ll be hitting that area… probably pretty soon. And there’s not a thing they can do about it.
The statement followed a U.S. bombing of Iranian targets in response to attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.
The president’s remarks contrast with his earlier attempts to downplay the site, as seen in a 2026 meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. We follow the material, that’s where the action is,
Trump said, shifting focus to Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. However, he later reiterated the threat, adding, If I thought they could do something about it, I would never say that, but we’ll be hitting that area pretty soon. And very heavily.
Diplomatic Deadlock and Expert Warnings
Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer for the Middle East, warned that the conflict will likely remain in a managed instability
phase, with recurring violence but no permanent resolution. The situation is not going to revert to full-scale war,
he said, though he emphasized that neither side is close to a breakthrough. Iran has accused the U.S. of targeting its planned Darkhovin nuclear plant, though the International Atomic Energy Agency found no atomic material there during its last inspection.
The Broader Implications
The standoff over Pickaxe Mountain underscores the fragility of U.S.-Iran relations, with both sides leveraging military and diplomatic tools to assert dominance. For Trump, the threat of bombing the site aligns with his campaign rhetoric to confront Iran’s nuclear ambitions, but experts doubt it will lead to a lasting resolution. The situation also highlights the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping lane where Iran has demonstrated its ability to disrupt global energy markets.
As tensions persist, the risk of miscalculation remains high. With no clear path to de-escalation, the conflict appears poised for a protracted struggle, leaving both nations and the global community to navigate an unstable new normal. The next moves by Trump and Iranian leaders will determine whether the situation spirals further or enters a fragile pause.
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