What is Pickaxe Mountain, Iran's nuclear site which might be among Trump's next targets - explainer

Jerusalem Post

US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified underground Iranian nuclear facility located near the Natanz nuclear complex. This direct threat follows recent military exchanges in the Gulf, disrupting diplomatic efforts and raising the stakes of the ongoing standoff over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

Constructed starting in 2020 following sabotage at nearby surface plants, the subterranean site represents Iran's systematic effort to shield its sensitive centrifuge assembly capabilities deep within the earth. Satellite imagery analyzed by the Institute for Science and International Security reveals reinforced tunnel entrances buried at least 100 meters deep, designed to withstand advanced penetrating munitions. Although the facility is not yet operational, it could eventually house a smaller centrifuge assembly plant serving a weapons program. Because the complex is buried beyond the reach of conventional bunker busters, neutralizing it may require high-risk ground sabotage or specialized deep-earth aerial strikes.

Comment

The extreme depth of the Pickaxe Mountain facility, estimated at over 100 metres beneath granite, renders standard air-delivered ordnance ineffective and challenges the operational limits of the US Air Force's GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator. Consequently, a kinetic defeat of the Pickaxe Mountain portals would require sustained, precise aerial bombardment to cause structural collapse, or high-risk ground sabotage by joint US-Israeli special forces. This physical invulnerability shifts the tactical focus from direct destruction to long-term containment, forcing reliance on cyber interdiction or the disruption of external supply chains feeding the Natanz complex.

To read in details click here