{"id":2661471,"date":"2026-09-15T08:28:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:28:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-eyes-irans-pickaxe-mountain-as-a-target-it-would-probably-take-a-nuke-to-totally-destroy-it\/"},"modified":"2026-09-15T08:32:02","modified_gmt":"2026-09-15T12:32:02","slug":"trump-eyes-irans-pickaxe-mountain-as-a-target-it-would-probably-take-a-nuke-to-totally-destroy-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-eyes-irans-pickaxe-mountain-as-a-target-it-would-probably-take-a-nuke-to-totally-destroy-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Eyes Iran&#8217;s &#8216;Pickaxe Mountain&#8217; as a Target: It Would Probably Take a Nuke to Totally Destroy it"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">36<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-eyes-irans-pickaxe-mountain-as-a-target-it-would-probably-take-a-nuke-to-totally-destroy-it%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2661471&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>President Donald Trump has publicly stated he would not use nuclear weapons against Iran, despite recent threats to target deep underground facilities like Pickaxe Mountain, which houses Iran\u2019s nuclear materials. Experts suggest that conventional weapons,including the U.S. military\u2019s most powerful bunker-buster, the GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), are unlikely to fully destroy such deeply buried sites, which are estimated to be over 328 feet underground. While some analysts believe conventional strikes can incapacitate but not completely eradicate these facilities, others highlight that ongoing monitoring and targeted attacks might contain or degrade Iran\u2019s nuclear capabilities without full destruction.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s remarks,including threats made during conventions and interviews,emphasize the potential for U.S. military action if Iran does not comply with agreements, but he has repeatedly affirmed that he would not resort to nuclear weapons. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/netanyahu-defies-biden-announces-major-west-bank-move\/\" title=\"Netanyahu challenges Biden, reveals significant West Bank decision.\">situation remains complex<\/a>, as military options are limited by technical challenges and strategic considerations, and experts advocate for diplomatic solutions rather than force alone. Despite aggressive rhetoric and military actions, the broader consensus is that diplomacy remains vital to resolving Iran\u2019s nuclear ambitions and preventing escalation toward nuclear escalation or broader conflict.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_2)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>President Donald Trump has stated that he would never use a nuclear weapon in Iran, yet he has repeatedly threatened to strike a facility that may be impervious to conventional weapons.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Most recently, Trump <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/disclosetv\/status\/2097869405635903503\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">threatened<\/a> to attack Pickaxe Mountain in Iran during the GOP midterm convention on Wednesday. Pickaxe Mountain, one of the sites that houses Iran\u2019s nuclear materials, is so deep that not even the most powerful conventional weapons in the U.S. military can penetrate its thick granite walls, multiple experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cWe noticed there\u2019s a little activity at Pickaxe [Mountain]. I would advise Iran not to get cute,\u201d Trump said during the convention, according to a <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/disclosetv\/status\/2097869405635903503\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">video<\/a> posted on X. \u201cBecause we will have to hit them very hard, we have no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cMy general sense is that conventional ordnance would be unlikely to decisively destroy such a deeply buried facility,\u201d Philipp C. Bleek, fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies and the Center on Terrorism, Extremism, and Counterterrorism, told the DCNF. \u201cHowever, no matter how much a facility is buried, it must come to the surface via access tunnels, air shafts, etc. So even the most deeply buried facility can be entombed if intelligence and precision allow those locations to be effectively attacked.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.af.mil\/About-Us\/Fact-Sheets\/Display\/Article\/104614\/massive-ordnance-penetrator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator<\/a>, commonly known as the MOP, is the most powerful conventional bunker-busting weapon in the U.S. arsenal and is designed to destroy deeply buried, hardened facilities, according to the U.S. Air Force.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator can reach targets as far as 200 feet underground before detonating, according to the <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.studyguides.af.mil\/Portals\/15\/documents\/AFH%201%20v2019.pdf?ver=2019-10-07-133050-243&#038;utm_source=chatgpt.com\">U.S. Air Force<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Pickaxe Mountain\u2019s underground complex is estimated to sit at least 100 meters, or roughly 328 feet, beneath the mountain, according to the <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/isis-online.org\/isis-reports\/what-to-know-about-pickaxe-mountain\">Institute for Science and International Security<\/a>, which says the precise layout and depth of the facility remain uncertain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cMy impression is that the MOP is unlikely to penetrate into the tunnels under Pickaxe Mountain, unless there are vulnerable entry points like ventilation shafts, which the U.S. used to deliver the MOP into Fordow in June 2025. Of course, the MOP could be used to seal entrances and exits of the tunnels,\u201d Gary Samore, a politics professor at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University, told the DCNF. \u201cI believe that an earth-penetrating nuclear warhead could destroy the underground site at Pickaxe Mountain, but \u2026 it is extremely unlikely that Trump will order a nuclear strike on Iran.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Trump previously threatened to strike Pickaxe Mountain during a July 28 interview on <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RapidResponse47\/status\/2082084919958733226?s=20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cI know exactly what\u2019s going on at Pickaxe, it\u2019s not a big problem,\u201d Trump said during the interview. \u201cWe took out their nuclear sites, and we\u2019ll have to take out Pickaxe if we don\u2019t make a deal. If we don\u2019t make a deal, we\u2019ll take it out very easily.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cDue to operations security, we do not discuss future or hypothetical movements,\u201d a Department of War official told the DCNF. \u201cThe U.S. military continues to provide the President options, and all options remain on the table.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">U.S. Central Command and U.S. Strategic Command referred to the White House, which referred to Trump\u2019s previous comments on the matter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The renewed focus on Pickaxe Mountain marks a notable shift from the administration\u2019s assessment following the June 2025 strikes on Iran. The White House declared at the time that Iran\u2019s nuclear facilities had been \u201cobliterated,\u201d while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the bombing campaign had \u201cobliterated Iran\u2019s ability to create nuclear weapons,\u201d according to the <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/releases\/2025\/06\/irans-nuclear-facilities-have-been-obliterated-and-suggestions-otherwise-are-fake-news\/\">White House<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Director of National Intelligence <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.dni.gov\/index.php\/newsroom\/press-releases\/press-releases-2026\/4142-pr-03-26\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tulsi Gabbard<\/a> said in March that Operation Midnight Hammer had \u201cobliterated\u201d Iran\u2019s nuclear enrichment program and that Tehran had made no effort to rebuild its enrichment capability since the strikes, according to Office of the Director of National Intelligence archives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Samore was not alone in his assessment that conventional weapons would not be able to breach the natural fortress that is Pickaxe Mountain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Even if the U.S. military was able to destroy Pickaxe Mountain, the Iranian regime could always start over and build a new nuclear program.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cThe question is what next? Iran would still retain the knowledge of how to build nuclear weapons and could, over time, build a better-protected facility,\u201d John Erath, senior policy director at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, told the DCNF. \u201cWe could eventually probably hit that as well, but at some point they will likely bury one deep enough\/conceal it well enough that we wouldn\u2019t get it. The point is that we need diplomacy, not just force, to get to a real solution.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Bleek pointed out that while the U.S. would be unlikely to fully destroy the facility, it could adopt the Israeli strategy of \u201ctrimming the hedges\u201d or \u201cmowing the lawn\u201d by continuously monitoring the facility and bombing any attempt to repair the entrances or ventilation shafts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cWe should be using the space created by the destruction at Iranian nuclear facilities to reach a better nuclear deal than 2015, but that does not seem to be happening,\u201d Erath told the DCNF. \u201cThe U.S. government seems to be going down a path \u2026 [that leads to] Iran getting nuclear weapons sooner or later. There may still be a way to prevent such an outcome, but that requires painstaking, detailed diplomacy, not just force.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The June 17 Islamabad <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.presidency.ucsb.edu\/documents\/islamabad-memorandum-understanding-between-the-united-states-america-and-the-islamic\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Memorandum of Understanding<\/a> largely deferred the nuclear issue, maintaining the status quo while Washington and Tehran negotiated a final agreement. Although Iran reiterated that it would not develop nuclear weapons and agreed to address its enriched uranium stockpile under IAEA supervision, restrictions on future enrichment and other elements of its nuclear program were left unresolved.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The war remains ongoing more than six months after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28, with Washington maintaining a naval blockade and intermittent military operations as Tehran continues retaliatory attacks on regional shipping and U.S.-aligned interests.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Trump said Wednesday that he expected the war with Iran to end \u201cimmediately after the election,\u201d arguing Tehran could not \u201chold out any longer,\u201d according to a <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/videos\/president-trump-gaggles-with-press-at-joint-base-andrews-sep-9-2026\/\">White House video<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cThis would break a more-than-eighty-year tradition of not using nuclear weapons that has come to be seen as a taboo against nuclear use,\u201d Jeff Knopf, professor and program chair of the Nonproliferation and Terrorism Studies program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, told the DCNF. \u201cOnce the taboo is broken, it would set a precedent that would make it easier for other countries to carry out nuclear attacks \u2014 with the most likely case being Russia considering a nuclear strike against Ukraine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">The U.S. military is already doing this, according to a <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/truthsocial.com\/@realDonaldTrump\/posts\/117156624974445904\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a>  post from Trump on Aug. 25.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cThrough Space Force, we are watching every square inch of the Strait, as we are, also, with Pickaxe Mountain and the already destroyed three other Nuclear sites,\u201d Trump wrote in the  post.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Despite all of this, Trump has explicitly stated that he would not use a nuclear weapon in Iran.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s no reason for it,\u201d Trump said to reporters in the <a class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=uyeCoZ5Yego\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oval Office<\/a> on Aug. 31. \u201cWhat a stupid question that is, actually. Here they are, they\u2019re totally defeated militarily. So now I defeat them, and now I should use a nuclear weapon on top of them? What a stupid question.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">Trump<b> <\/b>cut the press conference short after being asked whether or not he would consider using nuclear weapons in Iran. Staffers immediately proceeded to usher the media out of the Oval Office after Trump gave his answer.<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cSuch an attack would also further isolate the United States and increase sympathy for Iran,\u201d Knopf told the DCNF. \u201cThe United States would be accused of hypocrisy, because the Trump administration has said the main objective of the war is to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, but then the United States would have turned around and used exactly the kind of weapon it says other countries should not be allowed to have. \u201c<\/p>\n<p class=\"LexicalEditorTheme__paragraph\">\u201cBreaking the nuclear non-use norm that has persisted since 1945 would be a world-changing event,\u201d Bleek told the DCNF. \u201cAt worst, it might usher in an era where others perceived lesser restraints on nuclear weapons use. But it might also have the opposite effect, galvanizing the world to bolster the norm. On balance, I am more pessimistic than optimistic about how this might play out.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclaimer\">\n<p>All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/union-membership-plummets-to-record-low\/\" title=\"Union Membership Plummets to Record Low\">legitimate news publisher<\/a> that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter\u2019s byline and their DCNF affiliation. 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