The United States has intensified its focus on an Iranian nuclear facility known as Pickaxe Mountain, prompting renewed threats from President Donald Trump against the site amid ongoing tensions between the two countries. Located near Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment complex, about 225 kilometers south of Tehran, Pickaxe Mountain—called Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La in Iran—is an underground installation currently believed to be under construction.
Pickaxe Mountain emerged as a strategic project following a series of attacks on Natanz, including a 2025 U.S. operation named Operation Midnight Hammer during a brief conflict involving Iran and Israel. While Natanz has been targeted multiple times, Pickaxe Mountain has so far remained untouched. Satellite imagery shows the facility spans roughly 2.7 square kilometers, is secured by fencing, anti-aircraft batteries, and guarded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, with multiple tunnel entrances partially reinforced against potential attacks.
Experts estimate the complex is buried nearly 100 meters beneath the mountain, possibly beyond the reach of even the U.S. military’s most powerful bunker-buster bombs designed to penetrate hardened underground facilities. The GBU-57 bomb, for instance, can penetrate at least 60 meters of earth before detonation, but uncertainty remains about its effectiveness against a site as deeply embedded as Pickaxe Mountain.
Construction of the facility reportedly began following a 2020 explosion at Natanz, which Iran described as sabotage. Iranian officials, including former nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi, publicly acknowledged plans for an underground site near Natanz dedicated to advanced centrifuge production—centrifuges being essential devices for uranium enrichment. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director-general Rafael Grossi has highlighted Iran’s intent to relocate sensitive nuclear activities underground as part of a broader strategy.
Despite President Trump’s recent statements threatening imminent strikes on Pickaxe Mountain, U.S. intelligence reportedly observes no significant activity at the site, indicating that it is not yet fully operational. According to analysis by a U.S.-based nuclear non-proliferation think tank, the facility’s construction continues, but it remains unclear when or if it will become active. The site could eventually serve both centrifuge production and uranium enrichment functions, potentially advancing Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
The possibility of an effective aerial strike against Pickaxe Mountain remains uncertain due to its depth and defensive measures. Some experts suggest that a ground assault or sabotage operations might prove more feasible for disabling the site, although such military action has been publicly ruled out by the U.S. administration so far. Reinforcements to the tunnel entrances and other defensive improvements observed in recent months underscore Iran’s concerns about potential attacks.
As tensions persist, the United States maintains its position of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, with Pickaxe Mountain representing a significant and sensitive element in the broader contest over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The evolving situation highlights the complex challenges of targeting deeply buried nuclear sites and the risks associated with escalating military confrontations in the region.