President Donald Trump has declared that the United States has not concluded its military operations against Iran, warning that another major strike could target the country’s underground nuclear infrastructure, particularly the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain facility.
Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting at the White House with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Trump identified Pickaxe Mountain as a potential military target, describing it as a deeply buried nuclear site near Natanz where Western intelligence agencies believe Iran may be constructing an undeclared uranium enrichment facility.
“We’ll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily,” Trump said, adding that although military strategy is usually not discussed publicly, he was confident Iran could do little to prevent such an attack. “There’s not a thing they can do about it,” he stated.
The US president insisted that ongoing military pressure had significantly weakened Iran’s nuclear capabilities and broader strategic infrastructure. According to Trump, even if the United States halted its operations immediately, Iran would require decades to recover.
“If we left right now, it would take Iran 20 to 25 years to rebuild,” he said. “And we’re not finished at all. We’re not leaving right now.”
Trump’s remarks signal that Washington may be preparing for additional military action despite the extensive strikes already carried out against Iranian targets. His comments also reinforce his administration’s hardline stance on preventing Tehran from advancing its nuclear programme.
The warning comes amid heightened tensions across the Middle East. Iran intensified its military operations on Tuesday, launching attacks that affected several countries in the region, including Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. The latest escalation occurred just two weeks after hostilities between the United States and Iran resumed, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
Security analysts have identified Pickaxe Mountain as one of Iran’s most sensitive nuclear facilities because of its underground construction, which is believed to provide significant protection against conventional airstrikes. Western governments have long expressed concerns that the site could be used for activities beyond Iran’s declared civilian nuclear programme.
Trump, however, maintained that the United States remained determined to neutralise any perceived nuclear threat posed by Tehran. His latest comments suggest that Washington is prepared to continue military operations until it believes Iran’s nuclear ambitions have been effectively curtailed.
The renewed exchange of threats and military actions has heightened concerns among international observers over the possibility of a wider conflict involving multiple countries in the Middle East. Diplomatic efforts to ease tensions have so far yielded little progress, while regional governments remain on high alert as the security situation continues to deteriorate.
