Trump threatens Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain as Hormuz traffic drops
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday warned Iran against activity at Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified site near the damaged Natanz nuclear facility, as the U.S.-Iran war intensified and commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to single digits.
“We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe,” Trump said at a Republican midterm convention, warning Tehran “not to get cute” and saying the U.S. would hit the site “very hard” if necessary.
Pickaxe Mountain contains deeply buried tunnel complexes and has been under U.S. scrutiny for months. Trump has previously threatened to strike the site as Washington seeks to prevent Iran from restoring nuclear capabilities.
The warning came amid a sharp escalation around the Strait of Hormuz, where preliminary ship-tracking data showed only seven vessel transits on Wednesday, down from 12 the previous day and below a 10-day average of 14. Three vessels entered the waterway and four exited, although ships with transponders switched off are not included in the figures.
The latest disruption followed Iran’s claimed attacks on 10 vessels near the strait after the U.S. destroyed five Iranian oil tankers. Iran also launched ballistic missiles toward a U.S.-linked military base in Jordan. Jordan said its defenses intercepted 18 of 20 missiles, while the US reported no casualties.
The escalation has sent energy prices higher. Brent crude rose more than 3 percent on Wednesday, briefly exceeding $100 a barrel for the first time since July. Trump said oil prices could remain elevated until after the U.S. midterm elections, adding that they would fall sharply once the conflict ends.
The conflict, which has lasted more than six months, has increasingly centered on the strategic waterway, through which a significant share of global oil supplies normally passes. Recent fighting has sharply reduced flows, raising concerns over further energy and shipping disruptions.