Trump Threatens Strike on Iran's Pickaxe Mountain Nuclear Site, Rules Out Nuclear Weapons and Ground Troops

 

In a television interview on Thursday night, US President Donald Trump said the United States may strike Pickaxe Mountain — a heavily fortified site linked to Iran's nuclear programme — while ruling out both the use of nuclear weapons and the deployment of American ground troops, as Washington weighs fresh military options against Tehran.

Main News Report

Trump made the remarks in an interview with Newsmax host Rob Finnerty on Thursday night, in his most detailed comments yet on how the US might escalate its war with Iran, which began in February with US-Israeli strikes.

• The target: “Their nuclear is buried under millions of tons of mountain. Now we’re looking at Pickaxe Mountain. We may have to go there. We’ll take a shot at that one. We’ll knock it out fast,” Trump told the outlet.
• What it is: Pickaxe Mountain is described by Reuters as a fortified facility buried deep underground near one of Tehran’s main nuclear sites.
• No nuclear weapons: Asked whether he would consider a tactical nuclear weapon, Trump replied, “No, I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to.”
• No ground troops: Asked whether an attack would involve American ground forces, he said, “No, I don’t see that. I don’t see that.”
• The “mother of all bombs”: Trump would not say whether he had authorised the use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, but emphasised it is not a nuclear weapon. “It’s like a tiny nuclear bomb. The mother of all bombs is one big bomb, but it’s not nuclear,” he said.
• The objective: “We want to make sure they will never have a nuclear weapon — because if they had it, they would use it,” Trump said.

Background Context

Trump’s comments are a significant new development in the US-Iran war that this blog has been tracking. Earlier on Thursday, CNN reported, citing multiple US officials, that military plans called for the MOAB — the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal at roughly 21,600 pounds — to be used against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain.

The CNN report, however, cited US officials questioning whether the weapon could penetrate the layers of granite believed to protect the suspected facilities. One source familiar with US military planning told CNN the MOAB was designed for large-area surface clearance rather than deep underground penetration.

Reports also suggest administration advisers have discussed military options that could deliver a symbolic victory and allow Washington to begin winding down the conflict, with November’s midterm elections approaching and no negotiated settlement in sight. The reports do not establish that a decision to use the MOAB — or to strike Pickaxe Mountain — has been made.

Reactions and Statements

Iran’s army spokesman: Brigadier General Mohammad Akrami-Nia told Press TV on Friday that “Despite Trump’s repeated allegations, Iran’s current air defence capabilities far surpass pre-war and wartime levels,” responding to the escalating strike threats.

Iran’s president: President Masoud Pezeshkian called for national unity amid the strike threats. “You cannot force a society to surrender with bombs and missiles, but if we are divided and divided from within, the enemy will achieve his goal,” he said in a speech, according to Iran’s IRNA news agency.

On negotiations: Pezeshkian separately insisted that “Iran is not seeking nuclear weapons, and we consider the destructive propaganda against our country to be lies,” adding that Tehran remained open to negotiations but would not give in to force.

US officials (via CNN): US officials are reported to be preparing for possible Iranian retaliation if Trump authorises additional strikes.

Why This News Matters

• Escalation risk: Naming a specific nuclear-linked target marks a step up from Trump’s earlier, vaguer warnings about fresh strikes on Iran.
• Regional stakes: A strike on a fortified underground nuclear facility could draw a wider Iranian response, with oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz already under pressure and strikes on shipping ongoing.
• For Pakistan: Any escalation in the US-Iran war feeds directly into the energy and security concerns this region is already feeling — Pakistan has condemned Houthi strikes on Saudi infrastructure at the UN Security Council this week and faces fuel-price pressure from disrupted shipping.
• Arms-control signal: Trump ruling out nuclear weapons and ground troops defines the limits of the escalation — the message to Tehran and to allies is that further action, if it comes, will be conventional and aerial.

Future Developments

Whether Pickaxe Mountain becomes an actual target depends on Trump’s next decision. Analysts will watch for any Pentagon briefing or official statement confirming the strike options, any Iranian counter-move — including in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has linked reopening the waterway to a US withdrawal — and any response from the IAEA or the UN Security Council. The coming days will show whether Thursday’s interview was a warning or a preview.

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