Trump vows U.S. will 'hit soon' underground Iranian nuclear mountain

By Grant Colby · Reporting from Amarillo · July 21, 2026

Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed that the United States would strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, specifically targeting an underground complex known as Pickaxe Mountain, or Kūh-e Kolang.

The Necessity of Force in the Gulf

Let’s be clear about what is happening in the Persian Gulf: Iran is a regional threat that must be addressed with decisive American strength. When Donald Trump vows the U.S. will hit an underground Iranian nuclear complex like Pickaxe Mountain—or Kūh-e Kolang—he isn't making empty rhetoric; he is stating a hard truth about deterrence. The continued construction at this facility, buried 100 meters under ground level and reportedly including tunnels near Natanz, represents unacceptable proliferation risk (ABC News). Iran’s willingness to escalate conflict geographically speaks volumes: Brigadier General Mohammad Akrami-Nia warned that if American forces were allowed to occupy Iranian territory, Tehran would respond by bombing its own land (Euronews). This is the logic of a state determined to destabilize global trade and threaten our allies. We saw this instability firsthand when tankers carrying Saudi oil turned back after Houthi threats against the Strait of Hormuz. The Department of Defense confirmed that U.S. soldiers, including Pte Isabella Gonzales, 19, from Texas, and Lt Tyler James Feehan, 25, from Hawaii, were killed in an Iranian strike on the Muwaffaq Salti base in Jordan (ABC News/BBC). Every time Iran kills an American soldier, they will pay for that killing many times over, as Trump stated.

America Must Follow the Material, Not the Talk

Some voices—and I won't name names—prefers to debate policy nuances and focus on caveats. They point out that while Israeli intelligence assessed Iran had transferred centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain last fall (The Wall Street Journal), Trump immediately qualified the concern: "It doesn't mean anything unless they have the material," stating, "We follow the material" (ABC News). This measured approach is exactly what America needs. We don't need endless academic debate about intent; we need to secure our interests and contain weapons-grade materials. The gravity of this issue is underscored by reports that Iran possesses close to 1,000 pounds of highly-enriched uranium (HEU), a quantity near weapons-grade capability. Furthermore, Central Command (CENTCOM) has already reported executing strikes hitting Iranian "military command centres, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defence systems" (BBC). The international community's concern is warranted; analysts at the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) note that construction remains underway at Pickaxe Mountain (ABC News).

Deterrence Requires Commitment, Not Hesitation

The global stability of energy markets—and indeed, our entire economy—depends on resolute American action. The threats emanating from Tehran are not just words; they are a systematic effort to challenge the established order. Iran's counter-warnings are clear: Ahmad Bakhshayesh Ardestani stated that while Washington might target areas like Kharg Island for a day, it "could not hold it" and suggested ground attacks could be launched on Kuwait and Bahrain if the U.S. invaded Iran’s territory (Euronews). This escalation demands more than just rhetoric; it requires commitment. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asserted that "if anybody in the world can reach anything on ... God's green earth, it's the United States military" (Source cited by The Guardian), and correctly pointed out that defending the country requires enormous funds, with sources indicating the department was set to request around $80 billion for U.S. operations across Iran (Sources). The time for equivocation is over; we must use every tool available to neutralize this threat before another American life is lost and our global commerce is choked off by bad actors.

America cannot afford the luxury of ambiguity when facing a determined, nuclear-capable adversary like Iran; decisive force against proliferation sites is not an option, but a necessity for American security and free enterprise.