In response to ongoing maritime strikes in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. President Donald Trump pledged that the United States will destroy a key Iranian bridge or power plant for each vessel targeted by Tehran. Meanwhile, Iranian officials accused Washington of fabricating justifications to bomb Pickaxe Mountain, a heavily fortified underground facility near Natanz.What prompted President Trump’s warning against Iranian infrastructure?The recent escalation stems from repeated military and drone attacks targeting commercial shipping vessels navigating the Strait of Hormuz—a crucial maritime transit point that carries nearly twenty percent of global oil supplies. Following days of back-and-forth maritime strikes, President Donald Trump issued an explicit warning to Tehran.Under the newly stated U.S. strategy, every attack or strike launched by Iranian forces or proxy groups against vessels in the strategic waterway will be met with the destruction of a major Iranian infrastructure target. The President specifically designated energy power plants and major transit bridges—including facilities located in and around the capital city of Tehran—as primary retailatory targets. Washington asserts that crippling domestic infrastructure will raise the economic and operational cost for Tehran if it continues to jeopardize international navigation rights and energy supply chains.Why is Pickaxe Mountain central to the conflict?Pickaxe Mountain, known locally in Iran as Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La, is a deeply buried underground complex situated near the existing Natanz nuclear enrichment facility. Situated roughly 80 to 100 meters beneath solid rock, experts believe the heavily fortified site was constructed to shelter advanced centrifuge assembly lines and uranium enrichment equipment from potential aerial bombardments.President Trump highlighted Pickaxe Mountain as an impending target for heavy U.S. bombers, signaling that Washington intends to prevent Iran from developing or housing covert nuclear capabilities deep underground. Western intelligence agencies and international observers have kept close tabs on the location, noting that its sheer depth makes it resilient to conventional military ordnance. The threat of targeting the mountain facility marks a major shift toward hitting high-value, heavily protected strategic infrastructure.How has Iran responded to the U.S. threats?Iranian defense officials and political leadership have sharply condemned the U.S. statements, characterizing the focus on Pickaxe Mountain as a manufactured pretext for expanded military aggression. Tehran maintains that its nuclear ambitions are strictly peaceful and rejects claims that the underground site poses an immediate proliferation threat.In response to the U.S. warnings regarding power plants and bridges, Iranian military commanders warned that any assault on domestic energy networks or sovereign infrastructure would trigger retaliatory strikes. Iranian officials cautioned that regional energy networks, allied bases, and shipping channels could face direct counterattacks if Washington expands its bombing campaign into civilian or dual-use infrastructure.What are the broader global and regional impacts?The continuous exchange of military threats between Washington and Tehran has sent shockwaves through global energy markets. Security concerns surrounding the Strait of Hormuz have driven up marine insurance premiums and pushed global crude oil prices higher.Military analysts warn that targeting power grids and transportation bridges risks severe humanitarian fallout for the civilian population while dramatically increasing the likelihood of an all-out regional conflict. Defense networks across neighboring Gulf states remain on high alert as both nations continue to mobilize forces, leaving diplomatic avenues increasingly strained amid the escalating rhetoric.also read : India Largest Electrified Railway Network: Ashwini Vaishnaw Announces Historic Global Milestone
