Following US strikes on Iran’s largest nuclear facilities last year, both US President Donald Trump and the White House asserted that Iran’s nuclear program had been destroyed. Trump described the damage as “monumental” and used the term “obliteration” to characterize the impact on all nuclear sites in Iran, a claim echoed in a White House press release stating, “Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Have Been Obliterated – and Suggestions Otherwise are Fake News.”

However, a year later, the conflict between the US and Iran has persisted for five months, despite Trump’s earlier prediction that the war would conclude within weeks. Iran has gained strategic advantage by controlling the Strait of Hormuz, a critical energy passage, leading to increased global fuel prices and forcing the US back to negotiations after a ceasefire collapsed.

Amid mounting criticism over the prolonged conflict, Trump has renewed focus on the perceived nuclear threat from Iran. He identified another Iranian nuclear site, known as Pickaxe Mountain (Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La), as a potential target. On “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” Trump stated, “Pickaxe is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right near the front door. We’re going to take out Pickaxe Mountain.”

This development signals a possible escalation in US military actions against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure as the war continues.

Sources