Trump says the US 'may have to' strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site with conventional weapons

President Donald Trump has said the US may be forced to attack Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site — a heavily defended underground complex — telling reporters "we may have to go there... we'll knock it out fast." He ruled out both nuclear weapons and ground forces while keeping conventional air strikes on the table, sharpening an already tense confrontation. The aircraft carriers George Washington and George HW Bush are both currently deployed in the Arabian Sea.

Iran attacked at least 24 commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz over a two-week period, with seven additional incidents recorded between Monday and Wednesday alone.

Gas prices have climbed 51.2 per cent across states that voted for Trump in 2024, meaning the economic fallout from the Iran standoff is falling most heavily on his own political base.