Trump says US 'may have to' strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site in future

Emma Bussey / Fox News 

President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States is evaluating Iran's heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear complex as a potential target for future military action, stating, "We may have to go there... We'll knock it out fast" in a Thursday interview. Trump ruled out the use of nuclear weapons or the deployment of U.S. ground troops, but left the door open for conventional air strikes. The comments follow recent reports that the Pentagon has drawn up options involving massive conventional ordnance against Iranian infrastructure, even as Trump expressed optimism that ongoing back-and-forth tensions and negotiations could bring a swift end to the conflict. 

WHAT TO KNOW

• President Donald Trump ruled out using nuclear weapons in Iran, but floated the possibility of using a Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, also known as a MOAB, against the Islamic Republic.

• Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck a Singapore-flagged civilian vessel in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, leading to the ship's sinking, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) reported Thursday. See LIVE UPDATES here.