A satellite view shows tunnel entrances at Pickaxe Mountain, of the Natanz nuclear facility, near Natanz, Iran, June 30, 2026. (Credit: Vantor/Reuters)
For the third consecutive night, U.S. forces struck military targets in southern Iran, while Tehran retaliated against American facilities and Washington's partners in the region. This ongoing escalation comes as both countries continue their standoff over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. It is in this context that the Iranian nuclear issue is returning to the center of the confrontation.In an interview Monday with conservative host Hugh Hewitt, Donald Trump threatened to strike a site that has so far been spared in successive American and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. "We are going to destroy Pickaxe Mountain," the American president threatened. "Tell the Iranians to get ready." The name refers to one of the most secret and best-protected sites associated with Iran's nuclear program....
For the third consecutive night, U.S. forces struck military targets in southern Iran, while Tehran retaliated against American facilities and Washington's partners in the region. This ongoing escalation comes as both countries continue their standoff over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. It is in this context that the Iranian nuclear issue is returning to the center of the confrontation.In an interview Monday with conservative host Hugh Hewitt, Donald Trump threatened to strike a site that has so far been spared in successive American and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. "We are going to destroy Pickaxe Mountain," the American president threatened. "Tell the Iranians to get ready." The name refers to one of the most secret and best-protected sites associated with Iran's nuclear program....