What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain, and why does Trump want to bomb it?
BBC Verify spoke to experts and analyzed satellite imagery to piece together what is known about the mountainside facility in Iran. The analysis also assesses the potential impact of a U.S. strike on the site.
The Iranian facility located in a mountainous region, referred to in Western media as "Pickaxe Mountain," has been linked to the country's nuclear infrastructure. BBC Verify spoke with independent experts and analyzed commercial satellite imagery to compile what is known about the site's structure.
Experts said the facility's construction deep inside the mountain makes it largely resistant to conventional airstrikes. That has raised questions about whether the U.S. would consider using specialized bunker-penetrating munitions in any strike scenario.
The analysis also examines the potential impact of such a strike on both regional security dynamics and the surrounding civilian environment. Experts agreed that the precise extent of possible damage cannot be determined with certainty from publicly available information.
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