President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the United States could soon target an area where Iran reportedly moved equipment capable of helping restore its nuclear program, following a report citing Israeli intelligence about the relocation of uranium-enrichment centrifuges.
The comments came after The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday morning that U.S. officials had received Israeli intelligence indicating Iran transferred uranium-enrichment centrifuges to a site at Pickaxe Mountain. According to the report, Israeli intelligence assessed that the centrifuges were moved last fall following U.S. strikes on several key Iranian nuclear facilities.
Trump has repeatedly maintained that those U.S. strikes obliterated Iran’s nuclear program. However, intelligence assessments have suggested the operation significantly set back the program rather than completely eliminating it.
The president addressed the report while meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, where he was asked by reporters for his reaction to the claims that Iran had relocated the centrifuges.
Trump appeared largely unconcerned about the reported movement of the equipment itself, arguing that the more important issue is whether Iran possesses the necessary nuclear material.
“We don’t have it on record,” Trump said. “All we do is read the fake news. You know, we see the news is so wrong so many times. So, you know, maybe, maybe this one they have right, but it’s OK.”
The president continued by emphasizing that centrifuges alone are not enough to advance a nuclear program without the required material.
“It doesn’t mean anything unless they have the material,” Trump said. “You’re talking about the centrifuges. Yeah, it doesn’t mean anything unless they have the material.”
Trump added that the United States is closely tracking that material, describing it as the primary concern.
“They don’t have—we follow the material,” he said. “That’s where the action is.”
The president then issued a warning that the United States could soon carry out military action in the area referenced during the exchange.
“We’ll be hitting that area probably pretty soon, and there’s not a thing they can do about it,” Trump said.
Trump noted that he would not ordinarily discuss potential military operations publicly but suggested he was comfortable doing so because he did not believe Iran could effectively respond.
“Normally, I wouldn’t say that,” the president explained. “If I thought they could do something about it, I would never say that.”
He concluded the remarks by signaling that any future operation would be carried out with substantial force.
“But we’ll be hitting that area pretty soon and very heavily,” Trump said.
The exchange came as questions continue to surround the status of Iran’s nuclear program following earlier U.S. military strikes and amid new reporting that key enrichment equipment may have been relocated to another site. Trump, however, dismissed concerns about the reported movement of centrifuges, arguing that the focus should remain on the nuclear material itself rather than the equipment.
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