The confrontation between the United States and Iran is moving into an unprecedented and unpredictable phase after US President Donald Trump threatened to launch a major attack “tonight”, vowing to destroy Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site.
Despite the threat, Trump said on Monday from the Oval Office that reaching an agreement with Tehran to end the war remained “possible”, even as the United States launched a new wave of strikes and reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports.
His remarks have drawn renewed attention to Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified site that has become one of Washington’s primary military targets due to its strategic importance and its reported role in Iran’s nuclear programme.
What Is Pickaxe Mountain?
Pickaxe Mountain is located south of Tehran near Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment facility, which has sustained significant damage during previous attacks. The site consists of two deeply buried tunnel complexes carved into the mountain.
According to expert assessments cited in reports, the tunnels are constructed at such a depth that they are believed to lie beyond the reach of even the most powerful bunker buster bombs currently available in the US arsenal.
US intelligence assessments indicate that the facility has been excavated hundreds of metres beneath solid granite, providing extensive protection against air strikes.
According to the US based outlet Al Monitor, intelligence agencies suspect Tehran is constructing a secret, undeclared uranium enrichment facility intended to serve as a safeguard for its nuclear programme.
Iran, however, has consistently maintained since construction began in 2020 that the facility is intended solely for assembling and manufacturing advanced centrifuges.
Highlighting the site’s strategic significance, Trump said during an interview on The Hugh Hewitt Show on Monday:
“We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ready.”
He added:
“We’re watching Pickaxe Mountain very closely. We don’t see any activity there. They’re not doing very well with their nuclear situation. Every time we hear about it, we blow it up. That’s why they don’t like talking about it. But we’ll probably hit Pickaxe relatively soon.”
In response to the escalating military threats, Tehran accused the United States of being responsible for the return of instability to the region, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps accused Washington of endangering global oil supplies through its military operations.
Latest US Military Strikes
Information released by both sides indicates that the third round of US strikes has focused primarily on Iranian military targets, while Iranian media reported explosions across several areas in the country’s south.
On Monday, US Central Command announced the launch of another wave of military operations, marking the third consecutive night of strikes as part of an ongoing campaign that Washington says is aimed at degrading Iran’s military capabilities.
According to US Central Command, precision guided munitions were used to strike Iranian coastal defence systems, missile sites, drone facilities and naval assets. The operation lasted approximately five hours and targeted military sites across multiple regions of Iran.
CNN, citing a US official, reported that the strikes focused on military installations housing surveillance systems, drones and missile launch platforms.
Meanwhile, ABC News quoted the White House as saying the attacks would be “limited, measured and carefully planned”, with operations designed to minimise civilian casualties.
Iranian Reports on the Attacks
Iran’s Fars News Agency reported explosions on the islands of Kish, Qeshm and Abu Musa, as well as in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas. Additional explosions were also reported in the city of Jam in Bushehr Province.
Mehr News Agency separately reported explosions on the islands of Qeshm and Kish in Hormozgan Province.
Iran’s official news agency stated that three explosions were heard in Bandar Abbas, while Iranian state television reported two explosions on Kish Island. Iranian authorities did not release details regarding the extent of the damage or potential casualties.
Local media also reported explosions across several southern regions. Fars cited local sources confirming blasts on Kish, Qeshm and Abu Musa islands, in addition to Bandar Abbas, while also reporting explosions in Jam.
Mehr later quoted an official in Iran’s Khuzestan Province who said four people were injured in US attacks targeting areas around the city of Omidiyeh in the country’s south west.
Iranian state television confirmed two explosions on Kish Island but provided no further information regarding the sites targeted or the scale of the damage.
Iran’s Nour News reported that three vessels caught fire at Kish Island Port following Monday night’s attacks.
Where Does the Conflict Go From Here?
Despite the expanding US military campaign, President Donald Trump has continued to leave the door open to diplomacy, insisting that an agreement with Tehran to end the war remains possible despite the renewed strikes and the reimposition of sanctions on Iranian ports.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said an agreement was “absolutely possible”. He claimed Washington had reached an agreement with Iran two days earlier before Tehran withdrew from it and requested further negotiations.
While signalling a willingness to negotiate, Washington has continued increasing military pressure. US Central Command confirmed a third consecutive night of strikes, combining sustained military operations with continued diplomatic messaging.
Trump also downplayed Iran’s ability to withstand prolonged military pressure, saying the conflict had lasted less than four months and arguing that Iran lacked the capability to confront the United States militarily.
He further claimed US forces had destroyed significant portions of Iran’s missile and naval capabilities. Trump argued that economic pressure had proven “more effective” than military action, while stating that combining sanctions with military operations would deliver the outcome Washington is seeking.
Meanwhile, the UAE Ministry of Defence announced on Monday that two Emirati oil tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles in the southern shipping lane of the Strait of Hormuz within Omani territorial waters. The attack reportedly killed one person and injured eight others.
The ministry said the missiles caused material damage after fires broke out aboard both vessels before being brought under control. It condemned what it described as a “blatant attack” and a serious violation of international law.
Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it had targeted facilities at Bahrain’s Juffair military base.
The Guard also stated that its naval forces remain committed to defending the rights of the Iranian people in the Strait of Hormuz. It further claimed that two oil tankers were struck in the strait after ignoring warnings issued by a maritime security monitoring centre.
