Israel Presses US on Options to Destroy Iran’s Secret Pikehaks Nuclear Site

Last week, a senior Israeli delegation held a secret meeting in Washington with top US officials to present Israel’s demands regarding any future nuclear agreement with Iran. A key focus of the discussions was the underground nuclear facility at Pikehaks Mountain, considered one of the most fortified and sensitive sites in Iran’s nuclear program.

Israeli sources emphasized that the Pikehaks site must be addressed in any deal with Tehran, viewing it as a strategic target that cannot be excluded. Shortly after the meetings, US President Donald Trump publicly mentioned the Pikehaks facility for the first time and threatened possible military action against it. Israeli security officials believe this public acknowledgment was influenced by the recent diplomatic engagement.

However, experts warn that attacking Pikehaks would be far more complex than the 2018 strike on the Fordow site, which lies about 90 meters underground. Pikehaks is believed to be buried much deeper, posing significant challenges even for advanced US bunker-busting munitions weighing around 13 tons.

Washington is reportedly considering several operational options, each with serious limitations: using tactical nuclear weapons (deemed highly unlikely due to geopolitical risks), collapsing tunnel entrances to restrict activity without destroying the site, deploying advanced bunker busters (with doubts about their effectiveness at such depth), or conducting a high-risk special forces ground operation.

Trump’s unusual public remarks and the increased focus on Pikehaks suggest the site has become a major sticking point in ongoing nuclear negotiations. Israel continues to push the US to ensure Pikehaks is not excluded from any future agreement with Iran.