President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that the United States is likely to carry out a major military strike against Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain site in the near future, using the words “pretty soon” and “very heavily” to describe the anticipated action. His remarks came as the ongoing conflict between the US and Iran reached its tenth day.
Trump made the comments during a White House meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. He described Pickaxe Mountain as a potential location for Iranian nuclear centrifuges and stated that Washington is keeping a close eye on Iran’s nuclear-related activities.
While Trump acknowledged that reports of centrifuges being relocated to the site had not been confirmed, he argued that centrifuges alone would not be enough without access to nuclear material. “We follow the material,” he said, indicating the administration’s priority is blocking Iran from rebuilding any route toward weapons-grade uranium enrichment. He also raised the possibility that Iran may be attempting to rebuild its nuclear infrastructure, warning that any site tied to such efforts could face significant US military force.
The statements represented a tougher stance than Trump’s earlier hints that a negotiated resolution to the conflict might still be on the table. On Tuesday, he said the United States had “no interest in meeting” with Iran at this point and made clear that Washington was “not finished at all” with its military operations. According to Axios, Trump’s comments suggest he is moving away from a ceasefire and toward a broader campaign — potentially carried out alongside Israel — aimed at forcing Tehran to stand down.
Pickaxe Mountain has drawn significant attention because it is thought to house heavily reinforced underground tunnel systems located near Natanz, one of Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment facilities. The site’s depth and fortified construction could make it a challenging military target, though analysts note that a strike could still aim to destroy access points and disrupt operations inside.
