Why is Trump targeting Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site? Here’s what we know
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb an Iranian nuclear facility known as 'Pickaxe Mountain' amid rising tensions. The site was constructed by Iran to protect its nuclear infrastructure from previous sabotage attempts.
Why it matters
The potential targeting of a fortified nuclear site significantly escalates geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and risks a broader military conflict.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly issued threats to bomb Pickaxe Mountain, an under-construction Iranian nuclear site buried deep under a mountain.
“We'll be hitting that area ... probably pretty soon. And there's not a thing they can do about it,” Mr. Trump said on Tuesday (July 21, 2026) talking to journalists at the Oval Office, Washington.
This fortified site has thus become a focal point of tension as the situation escalates over the Strait of Hormuz.
The site, referred to as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz, or “Pickaxe Mountain,” is situated to the south of Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment facility. This site was targeted by the United States during Operation Midnight Hammer , part of the 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in 2025. However, Pickaxe Mountain has remained unscathed while Iran continues its excavation activities in the area.
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