Israel Believes Iran Shifted Nuclear Centrifuges Into Pickaxe Mountain Tunnels

Israeli intelligence indicates that Iran relocated thousands of uranium-enrichment centrifuges into subterranean tunnels deep inside Pickaxe Mountain following last year’s military strikes on its primary nuclear facilities.

The findings, shared with U.S. officials according to The Wall Street Journal, suggest Tehran is actively fortifying key apparatus to protect its nuclear program from further aerial bombardment.

Escalating Target Priorities

The transfer occurred after a 12-day conflict in June that saw joint American and Israeli strikes hit three major Iranian nuclear installations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has subsequently pressed Washington to resume full-scale military actions against Tehran's weapons infrastructure.

U.S. military operations have escalated over the past 10 days, with President Donald Trump explicitly naming Pickaxe Mountain as a potential strike location.

On July 13, Trump described the hardened granite facility as “a possible target for a nice big fat shot.”

Subterranean Architecture

Also known as Mount Kolang, the facility lies 300 to 450 feet beneath solid rock near an existing nuclear hub.

Commissioned to replace a centrifuge assembly plant heavily damaged in a 2020 blast, the subterranean complex offers space for multiple nuclear-related operations.

Observational data shows ongoing activity over the last 15 months, including expanded security perimeters, tunnel structural reinforcement, and heavy truck transit.

David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, observed that “it is plausible that Iran moved centrifuges into the tunnels” to safeguard surviving assets following the June 2025 bombing campaign.

Verification Challenges

Tehran has denied inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) access to the mountain complex and provided no formal disclosures regarding current activity.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi noted that Iran originally declared its intent to operate at the location in 2021.

Nate Swanson, a former U.S. National Security Council director for Iran, emphasized the risks posed by unmonitored subterranean activity.

“A covert breakout is the worst-case scenario. We don’t know what Iran’s intentions are, but the fact that we can’t verify this site underscores how problematic the status quo is,” Swanson said.

Although Pickaxe Mountain was spared during previous targeting cycles, Israeli defense personnel argue that unaddressed work inside the granite complex requires direct action.

Iran currently holds roughly 1,000 pounds of 60 percent enriched uranium.