4 hrs ago
Trump Warns US May Strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain Soon
Donald Trump said the United States might attack an underground Iranian site called Pickaxe Mountain soon.
He said this would depend on whether US intelligence sees activity there.
Trump said the US campaign is meant to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.
Pickaxe Mountain is near Iran’s damaged Natanz facility.
Reports say Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved thousands of centrifuges there.
The site is buried deep underground and may be difficult to attack.
US Central Command said recent attacks hit Iranian military-related locations such as radar and air-defense systems.
Iran said the attacks violated its sovereignty and hit civilian or non-military infrastructure.
Iran also said it responded with defensive strikes against US military bases in the region.
Donald Trump said the United States might strike Iran’s underground Pickaxe Mountain site “very soon” if activity is detected.
Trump said the five-month US military campaign aims to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Pickaxe Mountain, near the damaged Natanz facility, reportedly contains two deeply buried tunnel systems and may hold thousands of centrifuges.
US Central Command said recent strikes targeted Iranian air defenses, radar, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites.
Iran condemned the strikes as violations of its sovereignty and said it carried out defensive attacks against US bases in West Asia.
- Who
- US President Donald Trump, the United States military, Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- What
- Trump warned that the United States might strike Iran’s underground Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and defended recent US attacks on Iranian military targets.
- Where
- Pickaxe Mountain is near Natanz in Iran; the recent strikes involved targets in Iran and US military bases in West Asia.
- When
- Trump made the remarks on Friday, days after the United States conducted a wave of strikes against Iranian military targets.
- Why
- Trump said US action is intended to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while Iran said the strikes violated its sovereignty and targeted civilian and non-military sites.
United States Position
Iranian Position
Purpose of the campaign
United States Position
Trump said US military action is intended to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and avert a broader regional threat.
Iranian Position
Iran condemned the American attacks as violations of its sovereignty and rejected Washington’s characterization of some targeted locations as legitimate military sites.
Possible strike on Pickaxe Mountain
United States Position
Trump said the site could be targeted if US intelligence detects activity there and claimed American officials are monitoring movements across Iran.
Iranian Position
Iran has condemned the broader US attacks and said American forces targeted civilian and non-military infrastructure.
Recent strikes and retaliation
United States Position
US Central Command said the strikes followed attempted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against US service members.
Iranian Position
Iran said its forces responded with defensive strikes against US bases that Tehran described as launch, support and staging points for American operations.
Key facts
- Potential target
- Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified underground complex near Iran’s Natanz uranium-enrichment facility.
- Trump’s warning
- The United States could strike the site “very soon” if intelligence detects activity there.
- Reported centrifuges
- The Wall Street Journal reported that Israeli intelligence believes Iran relocated thousands of centrifuges to the facility.
- Site structure
- Pickaxe Mountain reportedly contains two deeply buried tunnel systems and is more resistant to conventional aerial bombardment.
- Recent US targets
- US Central Command listed Iranian air defenses, radar systems, maritime assets, mine-laying capabilities and communications sites.
- US justification
- US Central Command said the strikes followed attempted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacks against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and US service members.
- Iran’s response
- Iran condemned the strikes and said its armed forces launched “crushing defensive strikes” against US bases in West Asia.
Quotes
Donald Trump
President of the United States speaking to reporters at the Oval Office
“If we didn't go in there, you wouldn't have Israel right now, you wouldn't have the Middle East, and they probably would go at European cities and our cities next.”
rediff.com
“We know everybody that's moving at Pickaxe; we know everybody that's moving everywhere all over Iran. And if anything goes bad, we hit them; we hit them hard.”
republicworld.com
m.rediff.com
rediff.com
NDTV
Sources
Trump Says US Might 'Hit' Iran's Pickaxe Mountain Nuclear Site 'Very Soon'
Trump Says US Might Hit Iran's Pickaxe Mountain Very Soon
US might hit Iran's Pickaxe Mountain 'very soon': Trump
Pickaxe Mountain next? Trump warns Iran nuclear site could be hit 'very soon'
Trump Issues Fresh Threat To Strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain Nuclear Site
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