Hello John and Doves,
In this letter I wrote about some news updates, mostly
'snips' for the last three days and I wrote a bit about
Pickaxe Mountain in Iran. President Trump is
threatening to strike it. Amir Tsarfati believes there
are only two ways to 'take on' Pickaxe - tactical nuclear
weapons or a ground invasion.
Middle East News Updates as
of July 17, 2026:
(news snips)
On the evening of July 17th, the U.S. concluded
it's seventh consecutive nighttime strikes on Iran.
Dozens of Iranian military targets were hit by U.S. forces -
wave after wave.
U.S. Central Command has said that there are more than
50,000 U.S. service members operating in the Middle
East.
July 14, President Trump imposed a naval blockade on
Iranian ports. Iran keeps striking commercial ships in
the Strait of Hormuz - in violation of the Memorandum of
Understanding between the U.S. and Iran.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has decided to
strike Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. A move the U.S.
commends.
Israel has approved extending mandatory military
service to 32 months. The IDF says it needs 36 months.
Russia's 'doomsday' plane arrived in Tehran.
This is their Tu-214PU airborne command aircraft. This
plane has 'secure communications' and 'military command
systems for senior leadership during crisis'. This
deployment occurred with the recent increase in strikes on
Iran by the U.S.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a
near complete halt.
Amir Tsarfati commented on
President Trump's threat of strike Iran's Pickaxe Mountain
nuclear facility. He believes that the B61 guided
tactical nuclear bombs could be used OR a ground invasion.
On July 14, President Trump threatened to attack
Iran's bridges and energy infrastructure. And maybe
power plants will be added to the list. Trying to push the
Iranians 'back to the table'.
Iran attacked U.S. military targets in Jordan, Bahrain
and Kuwait with drones.
On July 15, Iran bombed Kuwait where the U.S. 82nd
Airborne and special forces are startioned.
Also, on July 15, President Trump said the U.S. would
send ground troops to seize Kharg Island and other islands
in the Strait of Hormuz. And that the U.S. would bomb
Pickaxe Mountain.
The Houthis are preparing to close the
Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
The Iranian Guard said they are currently focused on
U.S. military assets in the area before "moving to the next
step". The army spokesperson said 'if the U.S. attacks
continue, the war will spread to 'new areas'.
Iran has told the Houthis in Yemen to prepare to close
the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the U.S. hits Iran's power
infrastructure. The Houthis are ready with missiles
and drones.
The Imam Reza Shrine where Khamenei was buried last
week is reportedly on fire.
On July 16, the U.S. started attacking Iranian
bridges. Continued strikes in Iran have caused numerous
power outages. The U.S. has now hit multiple bridges,
railway lines and airports.
President Trump said on July 16 that if Iran doesn't
come to the table, the U.S. will hit their power plants and
more bridges.
All flights into Iranian airports have been cancelled,
July 16.
July
17, the Trump administration has notified Israel that they
will be sending dozens of additional refueling planes to
Israel. Looks like escalation is coming.
July
17 the U.S. has issued travel warning for Israel - 'fear of
escalation'.
(end
news snips)
Pickaxe Mountain
- an Iranian Nuclear Facility:
Pickaxe
Mountain is "one of the country's most heavily fortified
nuclear-related sites."
President
Trump has said that this nuclear site "could be the next
target of American military action, as Washington intensified
pressure on Tehran..."
"We're
going to take out Pickaxe Mountain. Tell the Iranians to
be ready." Trump said.
Pickaxe
has "two deeply buried tunnel complexes that expert assesses
are beyond the reach of even the most powerful bunker-buster
bombs in the US arsenal. The site lies south of the
Natanz enrichment plant and is part of a larger secured
perimeter that also includes another smaller tunnel
complex. The complex was originally built in 2007, later
expanded and hardened, and was sealed shortly after the June
2025 war..."
"Pickaxe
Mountain has two pairs of tunnel entrances leading beneath the
ridge of the mountain. While experts believe the
entrances likely lead to a single underground facility, this
has not been confirmed."
"The
complex is estimated to be at least 100 metres beneath the
mountain. Pickaxe Mountain itself stands 1,608 feet
above the sea level. The eastern tunnel entrance sits
about 145 metres below the mountain ridge, while the western
entrance is about 100 metres below it."
"The
roughly 50-metre difference in elevation between the two sets
of entrances has led to speculation that the underground
facility may have multiple levels..."
No
one knows if Iran has a centrifuge assembly facility
there. But there appears to be enough room to "house a
uranium enrichment plant capable of producing weapons grade
uranium."
"In
addition, analysts assess that the underground complex could
potentially accommodate certain nuclear weaponization
activities, including the production of weapons-grade uranium
metal and the shaping of material into components for a
nuclear weapon."
Or
Pickaxe Mountain could be where Iran's nuclear warheads are
stored. No one knows much about what's going on there -
past or present.
The
situation continues to escalate between the U.S. and Iran.
Pray
for the peace of Jerusalem!
Maranatha!
Chance