Trump said the U.S. could hit the Pickaxe Mountain area “pretty soon” and “very heavily,” putting Iran’s unfinished underground site near Natanz in the crosshairs.
80 to 100 meters underground in 2023 estimates—and possibly deeper now—the facility may be beyond even the GBU-57 bunker buster’s reach, despite reported U.S. discussions of using two bombs in succession.
IAEA inspectors have never accessed the site, leaving unclear whether Iran moved centrifuges there; Trump said Washington is still focused on Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% before the 2025 strikes.
The mountain complex was built after repeated attacks on Natanz and is large enough, experts say, to support both uranium enrichment and centrifuge production under heavy protection.
The threat comes after U.S. strikes on Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz in 2025 and amid renewed U.S.-Iran exchanges, keeping Iran’s long-running nuclear dispute centered on how close Tehran could get to a bomb.
As Iran's military seizes control, can diplomacy still prevent an all-out war with the United States?
Are new Gulf pipelines making Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz obsolete as a strategic weapon?
Is this escalating conflict destined to become a 'frozen war' that permanently destabilizes the Middle East?
US-Iran Conflict July 2026: Ceasefire Collapse, 414 Wounded, Strait of Hormuz Blocked, Oil Soars
Overview
In July 2026, the conflict between the United States and Iran sharply escalated after President Trump declared the ceasefire over. This led to a third weekend of intense fighting, with the US launching airstrikes on Iranian bases following Iran’s interception of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump insisted the Strait remained open, but also warned of further US action. Iran responded by attacking US bases and closing the Strait, causing damage to oil tankers and raising global tensions. These events highlight a dangerous cycle of military actions and retaliation, with serious consequences for regional stability and global energy markets.