Trump Threatens Imminent Strike on Iran's 'Mount Chisel' Nuclear Facility

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Tehran, stating that American forces may soon attack Iran's "Mount Chisel" nuclear facility. Speaking with reporters at the White House, Trump clarified that the key site could be targeted in the immediate future, emphasizing that the U.S. will not permit the Islamic Republic to acquire nuclear weapons. He characterized the potential action as a "limited military confrontation" rather than a full-scale war, comparing the current five-month engagement, which he claims has prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, to the Vietnam War which lasted years and resulted in tens of thousands of casualties.

Trump's threats come amid intelligence assessments from Israel suggesting that Iran transferred thousands of centrifuges to the fortified "Mount Chisel" facility after the "12-day war." Satellite imagery has reportedly revealed renewed activity at the site, raising concerns among experts about the escalating danger. "Mount Chisel" is located approximately 220 kilometers south of Tehran and just two kilometers from the Natanz nuclear facility, which was previously attacked by Israel during the war. The facility is buried about 100 meters underground beneath a 1,300-meter mountain, with thick granite layers protecting its vast halls, making it difficult to attack.

David Albright, a leading expert on Iran's nuclear program, expressed significant concern over the facility's capabilities. He indicated that "Mount Chisel" could house both a centrifuge production array and an enrichment plant, noting the operational logic of combining these functions at a single site. Albright warned that a fully operational enrichment plant could be assembled there within three months, potentially utilizing tons of uranium already enriched to 5% at nearby Natanz. He stressed that the site poses a risk requiring diplomatic or military intervention, but Iran's refusal to allow inspectors renders diplomatic channels ineffective.

Albright further cautioned that a military operation would be considerably more complex than previous attacks, requiring detailed engineering blueprints similar to those obtained for the Fordow facility after Israel seized nuclear archives. He concluded that leaving the facility unaddressed would allow Iran to rebuild its air and missile defense systems, significantly increasing the cost of any future strike. Albright estimates Iran's current breakout time to a nuclear bomb is about one year.