Israeli Intelligence Reveals Iran Hid Thousands of Centrifuges in Deep Underground Facility at Mount Makoush

Israeli intelligence has disclosed that Iran secretly transferred thousands of uranium enrichment centrifuges to a deep underground facility at Mount Makoush, located south of Natanz. This move, reported on Tuesday by The Wall Street Journal, took place in the fall of last year to ensure the survival of Iran's nuclear program. The transfer occurred just months after an Israeli operation named "With the Dog" targeted Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025.

The Mount Makoush site, also known by its Persian name Kolang Gazelle, is carved more than 100 meters beneath rock layers, making it more fortified than the Fordow enrichment plant. Satellite imagery analysis confirms the extensive tunnel network, which Iran began excavating in 2020 following sabotage at the above-ground centrifuge assembly plant. The depth and fortification make it highly resistant to even the most advanced bunker-busting bombs in the U.S. arsenal.

Iran officially claims the site is only used for manufacturing and assembling advanced centrifuges, not active uranium enrichment. However, Iranian authorities have barred International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from entering the facility. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has demanded clarifications but has not received sufficient information to verify Iran's claims or exclude the presence of nuclear material inside the mountain.

The site's strategic depth has made it a focal point in tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to destroy Mount Makoush and stated that the administration is closely monitoring tunnel entrances. The newly revealed Israeli intelligence supports assessments that the facility serves as a strategic rear base protecting the core of Iran's nuclear program.