Trump threatens to strike Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complex in central Iran 'pretty soon'

US President Donald Trump said that the United States could strike Iran's heavily-fortified Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complex "pretty soon," escalating pressure on Tehran as tensions over its nuclear programme and regional military activities continue to rise.

Speaking to reporters, Trump suggested the underground facility remains a potential military target despite previous US strikes on Iranian nuclear infrastructure.

"We'll see what happens. It could be pretty soon," Trump said when asked whether the United States would target the Pickaxe Mountain complex.

Early on Wednesday (July 22, 2026), multiple US Air Force B-1 Lancer strategic bombers have reportedly departed the UK shortly after Trump directly threatened strikes on Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility.

The UK's new Prime Minister Burnham has also approved the use of UK bases for US strikes on Iran, per Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, Boeing KC-135  "Stratotanker" military aerial refueling tanker aircraft have also launched from Romania, consistent with refueling bombers headed toward the Middle East.

The purpose of this operation is currently unconfirmed.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Iran moved thousands of centrifuges into the tunnels under Pickaxe Mountain in central Iran, roughly 220 km south of Tehran and about km south of the main Natanz nuclear enrichment complex.

Known locally as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, the peak sits in the Zagros mountain range and rises about 1,600 metres above sea level.

Trump late on Tuesday vowed the area will get hit "probably pretty soon" and "very heavily", as per CBS News.

The mountain site, located near Iran's main nuclear facilities, has attracted growing scrutiny from Western intelligence agencies because of extensive tunneling believed to house sensitive nuclear-related operations.

Analysts say the facility was designed to withstand conventional airstrikes and may serve as a backup site for uranium enrichment, weapons-related research, or protected storage.

Trump did not elaborate on what intelligence prompted the renewed warning or whether military planning was underway.

His remarks come after months of heightened confrontation between Washington and Tehran following US military operations against Iranian nuclear infrastructure and continued efforts by the United States and its allies to disrupt Iran's military and nuclear capabilities.

Latest developments

• US and allied intelligence agencies continue to monitor construction and activity around the Pickaxe Mountain tunnel network, which is considered one of Iran's most hardened underground facilities.

• Military analysts say any attack would likely require the use of advanced bunker-busting munitions capable of penetrating hundreds of feet of rock before detonation.

• Tehran has repeatedly insisted that its nuclear program is peaceful and has warned that any additional US military action would trigger a strong response from Iranian armed forces and regional proxy groups.

• The renewed threat comes as Washington maintains military assets across the Middle East and continues maritime security operations aimed at protecting commercial shipping and deterring Iranian attacks.

If carried out, a strike on the Pickaxe Mountain complex would represent another major escalation in the confrontation between the United States and Iran, raising concerns about broader regional instability and the potential impact on global energy markets.