As Iran war drags on, Trump sets sights on ‘Pickaxe Mountain’

A year after the US struck Iran's largest nuclear facilities, claiming the program was destroyed, President Trump is now focusing on another Iranian nuclear site, "Pickaxe Mountain." Despite initial pronouncements of obliteration, the US and Iran are now five months into a war that Trump predicted would be short. Iran has gained leverage by controlling the Strait of Hormuz, leading to global fuel price spikes and forcing the US to negotiate. Facing criticism for a prolonged conflict, Trump has reiterated the nuclear threat posed by Iran and indicated that Pickaxe Mountain is a potential target for further strikes.

The United States has launched new attacks on Iran for the eleventh consecutive night, as tensions escalate in the region. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the war has cost $37.5 billion. President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb a suspected Iranian nuclear site, referred to as Pickaxe Mountain, "pretty soon, and very heavily." In response, Tehran has threatened to expand the conflict. Attacks have also reportedly hit Bahrain and Kuwait, further raising fears of a wider war.