Full Breakdown
Trump Threatens U.S. Strike on Iran’s “Pickaxe Mountain” Nuclear Facility
7/25/2026, 11:47:28 PM
Core Event
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States will soon target the underground Iranian site known as Pickaxe Mountain (Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La). The statement was made on July 21 2026 in the Oval Office and repeated on July 22 2026 to reporters. The threat follows a series of U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Iran’s Natanz, Fordow and Isfahan nuclear complexes in June 2025.
Background & Context
Construction of Pickaxe Mountain began in 2020 after an explosion damaged a centrifuge-assembly workshop at Natanz. Iran told the IAEA the underground complex would be used to assemble centrifuges for uranium enrichment. Satellite imagery analysed by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) shows a large security perimeter, hardened tunnel entrances and a facility estimated to lie at least 100 m (328 ft) beneath the mountain, about 2 km (1.2 mi) south of the Natanz plant. The depth exceeds the penetrative capability of the GBU-57 “Massive Ordnance Penetrator,” which reaches roughly 60 m (200 ft).
Data & Statistics
| Metric | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Enriched uranium stockpile in Iran | ? 970 lb (440 kg) of 60 %-enriched uranium | IAEA |
| Distance from Natanz to Pickaxe Mountain | ? 2 km (1.2 mi) | ISIS |
| Depth of the underground facility | >= 100 m (328 ft) | ISIS (July 14) |
| Construction start year | 2020 | ISIS |
Official Statements & Responses
- Donald Trump said the U.S. will “hit that area very probably pretty soon.”
- Richard Goldberg, former NSC director for counter-WMD, warned that Iran has hardened the Isfahan facility and laid booby traps, making a surprise raid unlikely.
- Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, denied any nuclear activity at Pickaxe Mountain and called the U.S. focus a “fabricated pretext for aggression.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The IAEA has not inspected the site, leaving the claim unverified.
- ISIS assesses the facility is “not yet operational,” though construction continues.
- Experts disagree on bomb effectiveness: the GBU-57 cannot reach the depth, but some argue multiple penetrators or ground sabotage could damage tunnel entrances. No public evidence confirms a viable method.
Why It Matters
Pickaxe Mountain is the most fortified element of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. A U.S. strike could degrade Tehran’s ability to rebuild a weapons-grade enrichment program or push the effort deeper underground, limiting inspection access. The threat also raises regional tension, affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and prompting retaliatory rhetoric from Tehran and its allies.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We’ll be hitting that area very probably pretty soon. And there’s not a thing they can do about it,” — Donald Trump
- “I hate to say it, but I think the most likely way to get rid of Iran’s nuclear material, at least what they currently have, is a military operation because the negotiations aren’t going anywhere fast,” — Joseph Rodgers, CSIS
- “The US does not have strong enough penetrators for Pickaxe Mountain,” — James Acton
