US evaluates advanced bunker-busting capabilities as secret Iranian nuclear fortress expands

Satellite imagery analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reveals a "clear surge in construction activity" at Iran's suspected underground nuclear site, Pickaxe Mountain, located 140 miles south of Tehran. This site is believed to be a secure location for Iran's nuclear program, with Israeli intelligence suggesting centrifuges may be moved there. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike the site, stating, "We may hit Pickaxe very soon."

• The Pentagon is evaluating advanced bunker-busting capabilities, including a $1.2 million emergency contract to repair a subterranean test facility at White Sands Missile Range for a "live-fire test designed to validate classified capabilities against rapidly emerging threats."
• This test, tied to the Iran conflict, aims to develop methods to target Iran's deepest-buried underground facilities.
• A contract for a "next generation penetrator" bomb, intended to succeed current MOPs and reach deeper targets, was awarded in September 2025.
• The White Sands test site is carved into granite, similar to Pickaxe Mountain, to simulate strike conditions.

The U.S. military maintains operational strike plans against Pickaxe Mountain, though it is unclear if current large bombs can penetrate deep enough to destroy relocated materials.