Israel says Iran moved thousands of centrifuges to Pickaxe Mountain - Report
Israeli intelligence reports that Iran has relocated thousands of nuclear centrifuges to a deeply buried, fortified facility known as Pickaxe Mountain to protect them from aerial strikes. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly threatened to target the site, raising concerns about a potential covert nuclear breakout.
Why it matters
The development of an undeclared, hardened nuclear facility significantly complicates international efforts to monitor Iran's nuclear program and increases the risk of direct military escalation between the U.S., Israel, and Iran.
Israeli intelligence has assessed that Iran has moved thousands of nuclear centrifuges into a deep underground site in the Natanz area known as Pickaxe Mountain, making them harder to target in aerial strikes, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing US and Israeli officials.Iran is believed to have made the move last fall, following the 12-day war in June 2025 during which US and Israeli forces bombed Iran's nuclear facilities. The Pickaxe site was not targeted at that time, nor has it been hit since the start of a more intensive air campaign on February 28.The site, buried over 300 feet under granite, is deeper than enrichment facilities at Natanz and Fordo that were struck in 2025.
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