American political commentator Tucker Carlson has issued a startling warning that US President Donald Trump could face pressure to launch a nuclear strike against Iran within days, potentially escalating the ongoing Middle East conflict into a global catastrophe.
In a lengthy post on X, Carlson alleged that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was lobbying the Trump administration to approve an attack on Iran’s deeply buried nuclear facility at Pickaxe Mountain in central Iran. He claimed that November 7 could be a critical date for Trump’s decision, although he provided no publicly verifiable evidence that Washington was preparing to use nuclear weapons.
The warning comes as the United States and Iran continue indirect negotiations through Qatari mediators, while Washington has signalled that further military action remains possible after the November 3 US midterm elections.
Carlson’s claims have attracted attention because of Trump’s recent statements about potentially targeting Pickaxe Mountain and reports that US officials have advised regional allies to prepare for possible renewed military operations.
Under pressure from Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Trump administration may be within days of launching a nuclear strike on Iran. The target would be Pickax Mountain in central Iran, where Israeli intelligence claims the Iranian government has restarted its nuclear enrichment program. No conventional weapon in the American arsenal can penetrate 300 feet of solid granite to destroy the tunnels where enrichment is supposedly taking place. The only military option is a nuclear strike. Netanyahu has been pushing hard for one. “Bibi calls Trump about it every day,” says an informed observer.
Netanyahu is cornered and desperate. After last week’s election results, he can’t form a government unless Trump intervenes directly in Israeli politics and brokers a deal with other parties that gives Netanyahu 61 seats in the Knesset. Otherwise, he is out as prime minister and on his way to ignominy, investigations and possibly jail. Netanyahu must stay close to Trump. He needs this war.
To that end, he’s applied maximum pressure to his closest allies in the administration, including Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper. Both oppose a negotiated settlement to the war they’ve so grievously mismanaged; both are pushing to restart major combat operations. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA director John Ratcliffe are also following Netanyahu’s lead, as are leaders of the Democratic Party. In a recent meeting on the subject, former president Barack Obama said he opposes the current Iran peace deal being drafted in Doha.
The rest of America’s longtime allies in the Middle East are terrified by the prospect of more war. On September 27th, Netanyahu flew secretly to Abu Dhabi to enlist the UAE in his lobbying effort for a final attack on Iran. The Emiratis refused. After eight months of conflict, Gulf economies are teetering. So are global energy and fertilizer markets. They won’t recover soon. Globally, there are a total of about 850 supertankers used to transport oil from producers to the rest of the world. In October alone, 11 of them were badly damaged in Hormuz. At this pace, a global depression is imminent. A nuclear strike would radically accelerate the destruction. Fallout from a ground explosion at Pickax Mountain would contaminate the Persian Gulf, poisoning the water supply for 100 million people.
And those are just some of the immediate consequences for the region. The rest of the world is every bit as exposed. No country other than the United States has ever used a nuclear weapon in war. Some would like to. An American nuclear attack on Iran would set a new precedent. The Russians have already told at least two other governments that an American nuclear strike on Iran would free them to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Pakistan and India would be tempted to do the same against each other, as would North Korea against Seoul. After the first nuclear strike, World War Three is inevitable. That war would be short and final.
We’ve been sleepwalking toward this moment for months. Since February, the administration has quietly rewritten America’s nuclear doctrine to make first use of so-called “battlefield nukes” easier and therefore more likely. No one in Washington in either party seems bothered by this. Now we’re on the brink of it.
Close observers say Trump is likely to decide by next weekend whether or not to use nuclear weapons. That would be November 7, six days from now. To his credit, he’s hesitating. At the moment, Trump is listening to his vice president, JD Vance, and to his envoy and friend Steve Witkoff, both of whom argue a deal with Iran can be made.
They’re right, though it won’t be simple. The Iranians are famously frustrating to negotiate with under any circumstances, and elements of that government have become more radical since Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his family were killed in February. After decades of isolation, even relatively moderate Iranian leaders seem confused by how decisions are made in the West. (There is a widespread belief in Tehran, for example, that the United States government controls Israel.) But overall, people who have spoken to decision-makers in Iran say there is consensus there that more war is bad for everyone and a deal is worth making.
One group that hasn’t been consulted so far is the global population — the hundreds of millions of people who will be killed along with their children if Trump is pushed by Netanyahu into launching a nuclear strike next week. Now would be the time for them to speak up.
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) November 2, 2026
Why Tucker Carlson Is Warning About a Nuclear Attack
Carlson claimed that Netanyahu was pressing Trump to authorise a final military operation against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, particularly the underground complex at Pickaxe Mountain.
According to his post, Israeli intelligence believes Iran has resumed parts of its nuclear enrichment programme at the facility.
Carlson argued that the underground location, reportedly protected by hundreds of feet of solid rock, would make it extremely difficult for conventional American weapons to destroy the tunnels.
He alleged that a nuclear weapon was being considered as the only military option capable of reaching the facility. However, he did not provide documentary evidence or identify the individuals allegedly involved in discussions about such an operation.
The commentator also claimed that Netanyahu was seeking continued US military involvement to strengthen his political position following Israel’s recent election results.
He alleged that the Israeli prime minister was contacting Trump regularly to push for further military action.
These assertions about an alleged nuclear strike plan and Netanyahu’s political motives remain unverified.
Trump Has Threatened to Target Pickaxe Mountain
Concerns surrounding the facility have increased following Trump’s public statements about the possibility of another attack on Iran.
On October 16, Trump told Newsmax that Washington might need to target Pickaxe Mountain to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. However, he explicitly said there was no need to use a nuclear weapon.
“I wouldn’t use nuclear. We don’t have to,” Trump said, according to Reuters.
On November 1, Trump again referred to the underground facility, saying the United States still had one or two targets to address and could strike them quickly.
He did not announce any decision to use nuclear weapons.
Pickaxe Mountain has attracted international attention because of its extensive underground construction and potential connection to Iran’s nuclear programme. However, the exact operational status of the facility and the activities taking place inside remain uncertain.
Netanyahu Allegedly Seeks Renewed US Military Action
Carlson further alleged that Netanyahu was attempting to secure support from senior members of the Trump administration for renewed attacks on Iran.
He named Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and CENTCOM commander Brad Cooper among officials he claimed supported restarting major military operations.
He also mentioned Secretary of State Marco Rubio and CIA Director John Ratcliffe, alleging that they were following Netanyahu’s position.
Carlson additionally claimed that Netanyahu had approached the United Arab Emirates to seek support for another attack but that Emirati officials rejected the proposal.
These details were presented as part of Carlson’s account and have not been independently confirmed.
The political situation in Israel also featured prominently in his argument. He claimed Netanyahu needed continued support from Trump to secure his political future following the election results.
However, Carlson’s claims about the Israeli coalition negotiations and the alleged motivations behind the proposed military escalation should not be treated as established facts.
US Warns Middle East Allies About Possible New Iran Attacks
Separate reporting by The Associated Press has added to concerns about another military escalation.
According to AP, US officials have privately advised several Middle Eastern countries and regional allies to prepare for possible renewed strikes against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections.
Two diplomats briefed on the warnings said Washington had also discussed the possibility of Iranian retaliation against energy facilities and other critical infrastructure.
However, the diplomats stressed that Trump had not made a final decision on whether to launch further attacks.
The warnings have heightened concerns among regional governments, particularly because another round of military operations could threaten oil supplies, shipping routes and economic stability across the Gulf.
Iran and Qatar Continue Peace Negotiations
Despite the military warnings, diplomatic efforts to end the conflict remain underway.
Iranian negotiators and Qatari mediators held a third consecutive day of discussions in Doha on November 1, seeking an agreement to end the eight-month-old US-Israeli war.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said discussions were progressing and Tehran remained prepared for both diplomacy and defence.
The negotiations reportedly include proposals concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical international shipping route through which a substantial share of the world’s oil supplies passes.
No final agreement had been reached, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump had not decided whether to resume military strikes but preferred a diplomatic solution.
Carlson claimed that Vice President JD Vance and US envoy Steve Witkoff were encouraging Trump to pursue negotiations rather than escalate the conflict.
He argued that an agreement with Tehran remained possible despite significant disagreements and the challenges surrounding negotiations.
Carlson Warns Nuclear Escalation Could Trigger Global Conflict
One of the most alarming parts of Carlson’s post concerned the potential international consequences of an American nuclear attack on Iran.
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He argued that using nuclear weapons against another country would establish a dangerous precedent and could encourage other nuclear-armed states to consider similar military action.
Carlson specifically raised concerns about Russia, Pakistan, India and North Korea, suggesting that a breakdown of the existing nuclear deterrence system could increase the risk of further nuclear confrontations.
He also warned that a nuclear explosion at Pickaxe Mountain could produce radioactive contamination affecting the wider Persian Gulf region.
These scenarios represent Carlson’s predictions rather than confirmed intelligence assessments. The scale of any potential radioactive contamination would depend on the weapon, explosion characteristics, geology and prevailing environmental conditions.
Nevertheless, the possibility of nuclear escalation carries consequences extending far beyond the immediate conflict between Washington, Tel Aviv and Tehran.
What Happens Before November 7?
Carlson suggested that November 7 could be an important deadline for Trump to decide whether to pursue further military action or continue negotiations with Iran.
However, there is no independently verified confirmation that the US president faces a November 7 deadline or that a nuclear strike has been authorised or formally placed before him.
The immediate situation remains shaped by two parallel developments: Washington’s warnings about possible renewed military operations and ongoing diplomatic efforts involving Qatar and Iran.
Trump has publicly discussed attacking Pickaxe Mountain but has also explicitly rejected the need to use nuclear weapons.
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