Israeli intelligence believes Iran has transferred thousands of uranium-enrichment centrifuges into a heavily fortified underground complex near its Natanz nuclear facility, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, a development that comes as military tensions between Iran, Israel and the United States continue to intensify.
The report, citing Israeli and U.S. officials, says Israel has shared intelligence assessments with Washington indicating that the centrifuges were relocated to tunnels inside Pickaxe Mountain after the 12-day conflict in June 2025, during which Israeli and American forces struck Iran’s three principal nuclear facilities. The reported transfer has renewed attention on one of Iran’s most closely monitored underground sites, which Western officials have long viewed as a potential location for sensitive nuclear activities.
According to The Wall Street Journal, an Israeli military official familiar with the matter said the air campaign conducted during the June conflict did not sufficiently address facilities associated with nuclear-weapons development. The official was quoted as saying that “there was more work to be done,” including at the Pickaxe Mountain complex, suggesting Israeli officials continue to regard the site as strategically significant despite the earlier strikes.
The report also says that differences have emerged between Israeli and American objectives following the June conflict. While both governments have sought to constrain Iran’s nuclear capabilities, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly urged U.S. President Donald Trump to resume a broader military campaign against Iran aimed at delaying Tehran’s nuclear programme and slowing reconstruction efforts following the recent conflict.
The United States has increased its military operations during the past 10 days, while President Trump has publicly identified Pickaxe Mountain as a possible target for future strikes. Speaking on July 13, he described the underground complex as “a possible target for a nice big fat shot,” marking the first time he explicitly named the facility as a potential military objective.
Known inside Iran as Mount Kolang, the site lies approximately 1.5 kilometres south of the Natanz nuclear facility and has been under close surveillance by both Israeli and American intelligence agencies for several years. Experts estimate that the tunnel network extends between 300 and 450 feet beneath solid rock, providing sufficient space for multiple nuclear-related installations protected by substantial natural fortification.
Construction activity at the location has continued over an extended period. According to the Institute for Science and International Security, work over the past 15 months has included sustained truck movements, reinforcement of tunnel structures and the establishment of a broader security perimeter around the complex. David Albright, president of the institute, told The Wall Street Journal that it is plausible Iran transferred centrifuges into the underground tunnels.
Although intelligence assessments indicate centrifuges may now be stored at the site, officials and nuclear experts caution that their presence alone does not confirm the existence of an operational uranium-enrichment facility inside the mountain. According to the report, Tehran may have relocated centrifuges that survived the June strikes to reduce the risk of further attacks while preserving key components of its nuclear infrastructure.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has repeatedly stated that it has not been granted access to the Pickaxe Mountain facility and has received no detailed information from Iran regarding activities taking place there. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said in March that Iranian authorities had informed the agency in 2021 of their intention to conduct nuclear-related activities at the location, but inspectors have not been able to verify subsequent developments.
The reported intelligence findings emerge as regional security conditions continue to deteriorate. The U.S. State Department has issued a worldwide travel advisory urging American citizens in the Middle East to exercise increased caution amid the possibility of flight disruptions, airspace closures and wider transportation interruptions linked to the expanding conflict.
The advisory also warned that U.S. diplomatic facilities, including those located outside the Middle East, have previously been targeted and that Iran and Iran-backed groups could seek to attack American interests and facilities associated with the United States in different parts of the world. American citizens travelling outside the immediate conflict zone have also been advised to reconsider travel to or through the Middle East.
Military activity has continued alongside the growing diplomatic and intelligence concerns. Overnight into Tuesday, U.S. Central Command announced that it had completed another round of strikes inside Iran, describing the operation as part of ongoing efforts to degrade military capabilities that Tehran has used to threaten commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The latest operation marked the tenth consecutive day of American strikes inside Iran.
At roughly the same time, Iranian state media reported that the Iranian military and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had launched missiles and drones targeting U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Bahrain. The reported attacks highlighted the continuing cycle of military exchanges that has followed the June conflict and underscored the widening regional dimensions of the confrontation.
The reported movement of centrifuges to the underground Pickaxe Mountain complex has added a new element to ongoing international concerns surrounding Iran’s nuclear activities. According to The Wall Street Journal, Israeli and American officials continue to monitor the site closely while discussions over future military and diplomatic responses remain active, with international inspectors still awaiting access to determine the nature of activities taking place inside the underground facility.
