Not finished at all: Trump threatens to strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site

Donald Trump warned that US forces could strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain during talks with Lebanon's president. The threat came as regional attacks, shipping risks and border tensions deepened fears of a wider conflict.The US President made it clear that Washington has no plans to scale back its military operations against Iran. (Photo: Reuters)Buried beneath a mountain and believed to house a secret uranium enrichment facility, Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear complex could be the latest flashpoint in the US-Iran conflict. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned that American forces could strike the site, saying the military campaign against Tehran is far from over.Trump made the remarks at the White House during a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. His warning came at a time when the conflict in the Middle East continues to widen. Iran and its regional allies have intensified drone and missile attacks across the region, while fresh threats to commercial shipping and oil infrastructure have disrupted global energy supplies."We'll be hitting that area pretty soon, and very heavily," Trump told reporters. He added that he would not normally reveal a potential military target in advance, but claimed, "there's not a thing they can do about it".TRUMP SAYS CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN IS NOT OVERThe US President made it clear that Washington has no plans to scale back its military operations against Iran. "If we left right now, it would take Iran 20, 25 years to rebuild," Trump said, referring to the damage caused by recent US strikes."We're not finished at all ... we're not leaving right now," he added.WHY PICKAXE MOUNTAIN MATTERS Pickaxe Mountain lies near Iran's Natanz nuclear complex, one of the country's most important uranium enrichment sites.According to Western intelligence agencies, the mountain is believed to conceal an undeclared enrichment facility built deep underground. Analysts say the site is heavily fortified and designed to withstand conventional air strikes.Although Iran has not acknowledged the existence of such a facility, the location has remained under close scrutiny because of concerns that it could support Tehran's nuclear ambitions.Trump's comments came as violence spread across the Middle East.Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain reported intercepting Iranian drones and missiles on Tuesday. Bahrain activated warning sirens several times as security forces responded to incoming threats. Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they had targeted what they described as US military assets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain. The force also warned that more drone and missile attacks could follow.Meanwhile, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia's ports.Responding to the threat, Trump said the US would act if the Houthis attempted to disrupt shipping."If something like that happens, we take care of it," he said."You know, we've done that with the Houthis before, and we haven't heard from them in a while since we did what we did originally."The warning came as reports emerged that two oil tankers changed course in the Red Sea after loading crude from Saudi Arabia's Yanbu port following the Houthi announcement. One of them was India-bound.TRUMP MEETS LEBANESE PRESIDENTAlongside the Iran conflict, Trump also held talks with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who is seeking greater US support to strengthen Lebanon's armed forces and implement a US-backed security framework with Israel.Trump described Lebanon as "a very mistreated country" that had suffered for decades."But they love the country ... and we're going to help it. We're going to help it a lot," he said.The meeting took place as Lebanon works to extend state control in the country's south and reduce the influence of Hezbollah under an agreement backed by Washington.However, tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border remain high. The Lebanese army accused Israeli forces of firing near its troops during a deployment in southern Lebanon, while the Israeli military said it had only fired warning shots after Lebanese soldiers entered an area outside the agreed deployment zone.With both Washington and Tehran showing little sign of backing down, the risk of the conflict widening across the Middle East appears greater than ever.- EndsWith inputs from agenciesPublished By: Satyam SinghPublished On: Jul 22, 2026 01:51 IST