US attacks Iran for 11th day; Pickaxe Mountain next target?
What's the story
The United States has launched airstrikes on Iran for the 11th night in a row. The strikes, according to the US Central Command (Centcom), are aimed at crippling Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state media reported that air defenses were activated in Tehran and explosions were heard in Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, and Bushehr. After the strikes, President Donald Trump warned that the next military target could be Pickaxe Mountain, an underground nuclear facility.
Location details
Location of Pickaxe Mountain
Pickaxe Mountain, known as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is situated about 220km south of Tehran and just 2 km from the Natanz nuclear facility.
The Natanz site, which houses two uranium enrichment plants, has been targeted in previous US-Israeli strikes.
Pickaxe Mountain was not hit during these attacks in 2025 and 2026.
Little is known about the complex inside the mountain, but experts believe it to be buried nearly 100 meters inside the mountain and still under construction.
Facility development
Why was the site built?
Construction at Pickaxe Mountain reportedly started in 2020 after a reported sabotage incident at Natanz.
Iran's then nuclear chief announced plans for a "modern, larger and more comprehensive hall in all dimensions" for advanced centrifuge production.
Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in March that Iran had announced its intention to have nuclear activity at Pickaxe Mountain.
"This was part of their quite systematic intention to put their most sensitive facilities underground," he said.
Facility analysis
Current status of the site
The facility at Pickaxe Mountain has two pairs of entrances, with a security wall recently completed, the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) thinktank, which analyzed satellite imagery of the site, said.
The eastern tunnel portal entrances have been hardened and partially backfilled to prevent ground vehicle access but are not completely sealed.
The thinktank said its assessment "is that the facility is not yet operational, but construction continues."
Vulnerability assessment
How are US attacks likely to be affected?
"Nonetheless, if Iran starts to rebuild its centrifuge manufacturing capability, it could plan to install a smaller centrifuge assembly facility in Pickaxe Mountain able to serve a nuclear weapons program," the ISIS report said
Experts believe the deeply buried complex may be beyond the reach of US bunker buster bombs.
Aerial strikes are likewise uncertain since it is impossible to determine their effectiveness without ground intelligence.
Ground operations also remain off-limits for Trump despite recent escalations between US and Iran.
Attacks
US strikes targeted Iranian military operations centers
CENTCOM said the latest US strikes targeted Iranian military operations centers, maritime capabilities, aircraft hangars, drone storage facilities, and military logistics infrastructure.
It also accused Iran of attacking "more than 30 commercial vessels" passing through the Strait of Hormuz over the past three months.
"The unwarranted attacks have endangered hundreds of innocent mariners and undermined freedom of navigation," it said, adding the strait remained "open for commercial vessel transit."