Israel and US Warn of Iran’s Secret Underground Nuclear Facility Housing Thousands of Centrifuges

Israeli and American intelligence agencies have revealed that Iran secretly transferred thousands of uranium enrichment centrifuges last autumn to a deeply buried underground bunker known as Mount Pikaax. This move aims to protect the centrifuges from destruction following a series of attacks on Iran’s main nuclear sites in June 2025. The fortified facility, located 300 to 450 feet beneath solid rock near a key Iranian nuclear hub, has been under surveillance by both countries for years.

Mount Pikaax was originally built as a subterranean replacement for a centrifuge assembly plant destroyed in a 2020 explosion. Over the past 15 months, intelligence has documented continuous activity there, including truck movements, tunnel reinforcement, and enhanced security measures. Experts and the Institute for Science and International Security note that while it is unclear if active uranium enrichment is currently underway, Iran’s refusal to grant the International Atomic Energy Agency access raises serious concerns in Washington and Jerusalem.

The heightened security tensions come amid Iran’s ongoing efforts to advance its nuclear capabilities, including producing uranium enriched to 60 percent, nearing weapons-grade levels. The Trump administration has increased military involvement in the region, with President Donald Trump recently indicating that Mount Pikaax could be a potential target for a major strike. However, military analysts warn that the facility’s depth and fortification make it extremely difficult to destroy with conventional weapons, including bunker-busting bombs.

Given these challenges, options to neutralize the site are limited. A direct ground operation or attempts to collapse tunnel entrances by blocking them with earth are considered, though past experience shows Iran can clear debris and resume operations. The situation underscores the strategic threat posed by Iran’s underground nuclear infrastructure and the complex military and diplomatic challenges faced by Israel and the United States in countering it.