'We may hit Pickaxe very soon': Trump issues fresh threat to Iran’s nuclear site

On Friday, US President Donald Trump issued a threat to Iran, warning that the country's heavily fortified nuclear site, Pickaxe Mountain, could be targeted very soon. During a press conference at the Oval Office, Trump stated that the US will hit the site if there are any suspicious activities at the location. He assured the audience that US intelligence is closely monitoring the situation.

Trump added that he knows who is moving around the site and anywhere in Iran, emphasizing that if anything goes south, the US would retaliate harshly.

Trump defended the US military campaign in Iran, stating that its main goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon. He mentioned that in the last five months, Iran has been unable to develop a nuclear weapon. Trump also claimed that if Iran had a nuclear weapon, the US might not be in existence.

Pickaxe Mountain is situated near Iran's damaged Natanz uranium-enrichment facility. It is described as a heavily fortified underground complex with two deeply buried tunnel systems. Israeli intelligence reportedly believes that Iran has moved numerous centrifuges to the site. Given its underground construction, the facility is considered resistant to conventional aerial strikes, making any potential US decision to target it a significant escalation in the ongoing campaign against Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

When asked about his deputy JD Vance's assertion that the conflict in the Middle East is not a war, Trump called it "small potatoes" and said it is not a significant issue for the US. The remarks followed US Central Command's announcement of a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian military targets. According to CENTCOM, the operations targeted facilities associated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including air-defense installations, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities, and communications sites.

These strikes were conducted following recent "attempted attacks" by the IRGC on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US service members.