President Donald Trump has threatened imminent military strikes against Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified subterranean nuclear facility under construction in Iran. Located near the Natanz enrichment site, the complex is buried at depths that may challenge the most powerful bunker-buster munitions in the U.S. arsenal as tensions escalate in the Gulf.
The site, known formally as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, has become a primary target for the U.S. administration as Washington and Tehran trade fire over the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking in the Oval Office and during a broadcast interview with Hugh Hewitt, President Trump signaled that a strike could happen pretty soon
, warning Iranian authorities to be ready
.
While the U.S. previously bombed enrichment sites at Fordo, Isfahan, and Natanz during Operation Midnight Hammer in 2025, Pickaxe Mountain remained untouched. The President has now placed the facility on an active target list, claiming the U.S. maintains a visual lock
on the location via Space Force surveillance.
The Depth and Defenses of Pickaxe Mountain
Located roughly 220 kilometers south of Tehran and just 2 kilometers from the Natanz nuclear complex, Pickaxe Mountain is designed specifically to withstand aerial bombardment. The facility sprawls across 2.7 square kilometers of the arid Central Plateau, protected by fencing, anti-aircraft batteries, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
The core of the facility is estimated to be buried between 80 and 100 meters underground, according to analysis from the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. This depth makes it significantly more concealed than the Fordo and Natanz complexes.
Satellite imagery analyzed by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) reveals two pairs of tunnel entrances.
Bunker Busters and the Challenge of Total Destruction
To counter such deep fortifications, the U.S. military utilizes the GBU-57 bomb, a 13,000kg munition capable of penetrating 61 meters of earth or 18 meters of concrete before detonating. However, experts suggest that even this weapon may be insufficient for the scale of Pickaxe Mountain.
U.S. officials have reportedly considered a one-two punch strategy, deploying two GBU-57 bombs in succession to ensure destruction. Despite this, some analysts argue the complex is beyond the reach of the current arsenal and might be more susceptible to ground forces or sabotage.
There are, however, potential tactical vulnerabilities. Arman Mahmoudian suggested that targeting communications systems and access roads could paralyse operations even if the deepest sections survive. Other experts point to ventilation shafts as critical points that could allow weapons to reach deeper into the mountain.
Operational Status and Nuclear Stakes
The exact nature of what is inside the mountain remains a point of contention. The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog has never gained access to the site. While President Trump acknowledged the possibility that Iran moved centrifuges there, he also stated that the U.S. see no activity there
and that Iran is not doing well with their nuclear situation
.
The facility’s origins trace back to 2020, following sabotage at Natanz. In September of that year, Iran’s then-nuclear chief, Ali Akbar Salehi, described the project as a more modern, larger and more comprehensive hall in all dimensions in the heart of the mountain near Natanz
for the production of advanced centrifuges.
Current assessments from ISIS suggest the facility is not yet operational, though construction continues. There is uncertainty regarding whether Iran still intends to install a large-scale assembly plant, given the previous destruction of its centrifuge program and the components needed for such a facility.
The stakes involve more than just the mountain.
As the U.S. weighs a big, fat shot
at the facility, the strategic tension centers on whether the U.S. can actually neutralize a site buried 100 meters deep or if the mere threat of such a strike serves as a tool for diplomatic leverage, such as Trump’s demand for IAEA inspections before any future agreements.
Worth a look
- DOJ Drops Charges Against Olympian After Admitting Botched Pool Repairs
- Trump Admin Drops Charges Against Olympian After Botched Pool Renovation
- The Senate Blue Slip, Explained: The Custom Trump Wants Gone (daybreakwire.com)
- Trump Administration Admits Reflecting Pool Work Was Botched, Not Vandalized (archyde.com)
