Trump threatens to strike Iran's nuclear site as bombing campaign escalates

President Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran's fortified underground nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain "pretty soon" and "very heavily," extending a 10-day bombing campaign that has pushed Brent crude above $88 a barrel and killed 18 US service members.

"We'll be hitting that area pretty soon, and there's not a thing they can do about it," Trump told reporters at the White House alongside Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. "Normally I wouldn't say that. If I thought they could do something about it, I would never say that."

The warning came as US Central Command completed its 10th consecutive night of strikes against Iranian military command centers, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems. Brent crude futures fell 1.4% to $88.01 a barrel Tuesday on reports that mediators were proposing a 10-day ceasefire, though major differences remain between Washington and Tehran. US gasoline prices have climbed back to a national average of $4 a gallon, up from $3.14 a year ago, according to AAA data.

Pickaxe Mountain is a heavily fortified underground complex near Iran's damaged Natanz uranium enrichment facility. Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved advanced centrifuges and part of its highly enriched uranium stockpile there after the 12-day war last June, CNN reported. The International Atomic Energy Agency has not been allowed to inspect the site. Trump said the damage inflicted on Iran would take "20, 25 years to recover from," adding that "we're not leaving tomorrow."

The escalation marks a significant expansion of US military objectives beyond the original mission of securing the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's crude oil and natural gas once passed. The interim ceasefire deal brokered last month in Islamabad has collapsed, with both sides resuming daily attacks. Iran's Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni traveled to Pakistan on Tuesday for mediation talks, even as Tehran launched fresh missile and drone attacks on US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan.

Iran's nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami pushed back defiantly Tuesday, saying the country could achieve its nuclear objectives "even if they bomb us a thousand times." The Islamic Republic has also expanded the conflict beyond the Persian Gulf. Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia on Monday, threatening to target vessels in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. At least five ships, including Saudi crude tankers, reversed course near the chokepoint, according to maritime tracking data.

The Human Toll

The US military identified Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, as the service member killed Sunday during a controlled detonation of a downed Iranian drone at Erbil Air Base in Iraq. Two other soldiers — 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19 — were killed July 17 in Jordan during an Iranian ballistic missile and drone attack. The State Department issued a worldwide caution warning that Iran may target US interests overseas, including outside the Middle East.

Market Fallout

The conflict has sent shockwaves through global energy markets. The Houthi blockade threat adds a second maritime chokepoint to the crisis, with Saudi Arabia already relying on a pipeline to the Red Sea to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. The last time the Houthis targeted Red Sea shipping during the Israel-Hamas war, they attacked over 100 vessels. Kuwait said Iran struck its power and desalination plants for a fourth consecutive day, threatening water supplies for the desert nation where 90% of drinking water comes from desalination.

The UAE condemned the "renewed hostile attacks by Iran" on Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. Bahrain and Kuwait said their air defenses intercepted Iranian missiles and drones Tuesday, while Jordan reported neutralizing three missiles and five drones.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.