US President Donald Trump said that Washington could attack the underground Iranian site "Pickaxe Mountain" if necessary to prevent Tehran from creating a nuclear weapon. He made the statement in an interview with Newsmax.
“We are looking at "Pickaxe Mountain" now. We may have to go there. We will strike it. We will destroy it quickly,“ said Trump. According to Reuters, the site is a fortified facility located deep underground near one of Iran's main nuclear sites.
The US president ruled out the possibility of the US using nuclear weapons against Iran. "No, I wouldn't use a nuclear weapon. It's not necessary," he said. Trump clarified that the GBU-43/B bomb in question, known as the "mother of all bombs," is a conventional, not a nuclear weapon.
Plans for new strikes
The statement comes amid reports that the US military has developed plans for possible strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities. According to CNN, the plans discuss the potential use of the GBU-43/B, the most powerful conventional bomb in the US arsenal.
Using the weapon would represent a significant escalation, but there is currently no confirmation that Trump has ordered such an operation. It is also unclear whether the GBU-43/B would be sufficient to destroy the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain site.
Trump said Washington wanted to ensure that Iran "never has a nuclear weapon," because he believes Tehran would use one if it got one. The president reiterated that he was not considering sending US ground troops to Iran.
Warning of a new operation
The US president also warned that if the US withdrew before it was guaranteed that Iran would not develop a nuclear weapon, a new military operation could be necessary within a year. He did not specify a specific deadline for a possible strike on “Pikex Mountain“.
Thus, the statement leaves the possibility of new American attacks on the table, but does not confirm that a decision has been made to carry them out. At the same time, Washington continues to present the prevention of an Iranian nuclear program as the main goal of its actions.
Sources: bta.bg, marketscreener.com, kesq.com