By Osama Ali
Key Takeaways:
- President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States may strike Iran’s fortified underground Pickaxe Mountain facility, which is linked to its nuclear programme.
- He ruled out the use of nuclear weapons and indicated he did not foresee deploying American ground troops for any such operation.
- The comments followed a CNN report that planners were considering the conventional GBU-43/B “mother of all bombs” for possible strikes on Iranian sites, though Trump did not confirm whether its use had been authorized.
(Albawaba) — US President Donald Trump said Washington may strike Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified underground facility linked to its nuclear programme, while ruling out the use of nuclear weapons.
Speaking to Newsmax on Thursday night, Trump identified the site as a potential target as he discussed preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
“Now we’re looking at Pickaxe Mountain. We may have to go there,” he said.
The facility lies deep underground near one of Iran’s main nuclear sites, according to Reuters, which reported the remarks on Friday.
Trump said the United States did not need nuclear weapons to carry out its objectives. Asked whether a possible operation would involve American ground troops, he said he did not foresee such a deployment.
His comments followed a CNN report that US military planners were considering the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, commonly called the “mother of all bombs,” for possible future strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites. Reuters said it could not independently verify that report.
Trump emphasized that the weapon is conventional, but did not say whether he had authorized its use. His remarks outlined a possible attack rather than announcing a new military operation.
