Israeli intelligence has reportedly assessed that Iran has moved thousands of nuclear centrifuges into Pickaxe Mountain, burying them deep underground and making them harder to target in aerial strikes.
The Wall Street Journal, citing US and Israeli officials, reports that Israel has told the US that its intelligence shows Tehran made the move last fall, following the 12-day war in June 2025, during which the US deployed B-52 bombers to strike Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.
US President Donald Trump said last week that “Pickaxe is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right near the front door.”
The US president added at the time: “We see no activity there. They’re not doing well with their nuclear situation… We’ll probably give Pickaxe a shot relatively soon.”
CNN reported earlier this month that satellite imagery showed trucks going in and out of the facility at Pickaxe Mountain, possibly indicating that Iran is working to rebuild its nuclear facilities.
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