US mulls assault on hardened Natanz complex and Kharg Island oil terminalLast updated: July 16, 2026 | 02:363 MIN READThis handout satellite image courtesy of Vantor shows an overview of the Pickaxe Mountain tunnel complex adjacent to the Natanz Nuclear Facility near Natanz, Isfahan province, central Iran, on June 30, 2026.AFPUS President Donald Trump has openly threatened Pickaxe Mountain and Kharg Island.The US leader declared that the US would eventually "take out" the underground tunnel complexes deeply buried near Natanz, Iran, that Western analysts believe could support future nuclear activities.Experts say the mountain complex is among the hardest military targets in the world because its tunnels are buried hundreds of feet beneath solid rock, potentially beyond the reach of even America's most powerful bunker-busting bombs. Pickaxe Mountain forms part of several "options" reportedly now under consideration by Trump. It also includes an operation targeting Kharg Island, Iran's principal oil export terminal through which the majority of the country's crude shipments pass.The latest White House Situation Room deliberations come as the conflict enters its fifth month following the collapse of the US-Iran ceasefire agreement. Since the fighting resumed, the US carried out repeated attacks against Iranian military and nuclear-related targets, while Iran has continued launching drones and missiles and threatening commercial vessels transiting the Gulf.Hitting Iran 'harder'Over the past five days, US forces have conducted daily strikes against Iranian military positions guarding the Strait of Hormuz, including Wednesday's attack on Greater Tunb Island, a heavily militarized outpost used by Iran's Revolutionary Guard.Trump has said the US military will "hit harder" next week as the White House intensifies efforts to break Iran's hold over the Strait of Hormuz.Military officials say the immediate objective is to destroy missile batteries, radar systems and drone facilities that threaten international shipping.Degrading coastal defencesHowever, officials acknowledged the campaign also serves a broader purpose: degrading Iran's coastal defences to preserve military options for larger operations should Trump authorise a further escalation.Trump has publicly signaled interest in both targets. In interviews this week, he suggested another country could ultimately conduct any ground operation against Kharg Island."We have other people that will do the ground campaign for us," Trump said in an interview with Fox News, without elaborating.The latest deliberations come as the conflict enters its fifth month following the collapse of a ceasefire agreement earlier this year. The Strait of Hormuz remains at the center of the confrontation. Roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption and about one-third of the world's seaborne crude exports pass through the narrow waterway, making any disruption a major threat to global energy markets.An attack on Pickaxe Mountain would test the limits of US conventional strike capabilities against deeply buried nuclear infrastructure.Analysts say capturing Kharg Island would deal a severe blow to Iran's oil exports -- but would also represent one of the riskiest decisions of Trump's presidency by potentially requiring sustained military operations against Iranian territory. Despite Trump's increasingly aggressive rhetoric, administration officials caution that no final decision has been made. The US leader has previously threatened major military action before stepping back in favour of negotiations. Administration officials say he continues to alternate between expressing skepticism that Iran is willing to negotiate and insisting Tehran could still return to the bargaining table if military pressure increases.Also In This PackageOn July 13, US President Donald Trump made it clear that the nuclear-related Pickaxe mountain facility is on the US target list. In an interview with US media, he declared: “We have eyes on it and Pickaxe mountain is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right in the front door…We’re watching Pickaxe Mountain very closely. We don’t see any activity there.” Trump finished the interview with a more definitive statement: “We're going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to be ​ready.” The tunnel facility under construction has not been previously targeted in either June 2025 or 2026 war, aside from the destruction of a vehicle on a nearby spoil pile, which we believe was most likely associated with air defense. The Institute of Sciences and International Security's assessment of satellite imagery is that the facility is not yet operational, but construction "continues".Get Updates on Topics You ChooseUp Next