Israeli intelligence has determined that Iran moved thousands of uranium enrichment centrifuges into deep underground mountain tunnels last autumn, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on July 20 (local time).

Notably, Israel has shared this intelligence analysis with the United States, and President Donald Trump appears to be aware of the information.

According to the report, Israel believes the centrifuges were moved to the Pickaxe Mountain facility a few months after the 12-Day War last June, during which U.S. and Israeli airstrikes caused significant damage to Iran's three major nuclear facilities.

As the U.S. has intensified its rhetoric against Iran over the past ten days amid tensions surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump recently stated that he is prepared to strike Pickaxe Mountain as well.

In an interview with a media outlet on July 13, President Trump referred to the mountain as a "potential target that would be good for a big, powerful hit."

This is the first time he has explicitly mentioned Pickaxe Mountain.

Pickaxe Mountain, located in central Iran, was not considered a primary bombing target during the war last June, nor was it targeted during the conflict that began on February 28 of this year.

However, U.S. and Israeli officials, as well as experts, have long been concerned that Iran might use the tunnels in the mountain to store or manufacture nuclear equipment and establish small-scale enrichment facilities for producing nuclear material.

Pickaxe Mountain, known as Mount Kolang in Iran, has been under surveillance by the U.S. and Israel for these reasons for several years.

Located near Iran's major nuclear facilities, Pickaxe Mountain has drawn attention as an underground fortress that could replace the centrifuge assembly facility severely damaged in an explosion in 2020.

According to the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a U.S.-based think tank, activities such as truck movements, tunnel reinforcement, and the establishment of security zones have been consistently observed there over the past 15 months.

It was also identified that work has been carried out around the existing tunnel network, which was constructed in 2007 and subsequently sealed by Iran.

"It is highly plausible that Iran has moved centrifuges inside the tunnels of Pickaxe Mountain," said David Albright, president of ISIS.

Experts estimate that this underground facility was built at a depth of approximately 90 to 140 meters (295 to 459 feet) beneath solid rock and contains space capable of housing various nuclear-related facilities.

Nate Swanson, who served as the Iran director for the National Security Council (NSC) during the Joe Biden administration, pointed out that given Iran's history of clandestine nuclear activities, operations in a fortified underground facility are a matter of serious concern.

"The worst-case scenario is that Iran completes the development of nuclear weapons in secret," he said. "While we do not know Iran's intentions, the very fact that this facility cannot be verified highlights the gravity of the current situation."

He emphasized that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) must be allowed to enter and inspect the facility.

Iran has not permitted any IAEA access to the facility.

Centrifuges are devices that spin uranium gas at high speeds to separate and enrich isotopes used for civilian nuclear power or weapons production.

Although Iran claims it has never pursued nuclear weapons development, it is known to have produced approximately 450 kg of uranium enriched to 60 percent, which is near weapons-grade.

However, the WSJ drew a line, noting that even if it is true that centrifuges have been deployed to Pickaxe Mountain, it does not necessarily mean that Iran is building an enrichment facility there.

It is possible that Iran simply moved the remaining centrifuges to minimize the risk of destruction following the war last June.

It is also unclear where the centrifuges mentioned in the intelligence shared by Israel with the U.S. were originally located.

The report added that there is a possibility they were spare machines previously stored at Iran's major nuclear facilities.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)