‘Surge in construction’ at suspected Iranian nuclear site, analysts say, as US considers ways to strike deep underground

A suspected Iranian nuclear site buried under granite has seen a flurry of construction work this year as the war with the US has transpired, according to a group of analysts who reviewed six years of satellite imagery. The Pickaxe Mountain site, located near the Natanz nuclear complex roughly 140 miles south of Tehran, has been the subject of steady discussion by intelligence agencies which view it as a likely location for Iran to protect future nuclear program efforts. According to a new satellite imagery analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, shared exclusively with CNN ahead of its publication, there has been “a clear surge in construction activity” this year. The underground facility is “likely” designed to be a safe haven for Iran’s nuclear program, according to the CSIS analysts.