An Israeli official told CNN that Israel believes Iran transferred advanced centrifuges and part of its enriched uranium stockpile to a fortified underground facility after the 12-day war in June 2025. The disclosure adds an official Israeli source to earlier CNN reporting on the move.
An Israeli official told CNN on Tuesday afternoon that Iran transferred advanced centrifuges and part of its enriched uranium stockpile to the fortified underground Mount Machush facility after the 12-day war in June 2025. The disclosure provides an on-record Israeli source to assessments that had previously been reported only through unnamed intelligence channels.
The Wall Street Journal first reported at 08:41 Jerusalem on Tuesday that Israel had shared intelligence with the United States indicating Iran moved thousands of centrifuges to the site last fall. Hours later, also at 08:41 Jerusalem, CNN reported that Israeli intelligence believes Iran also moved enriched uranium to the facility. The Zioneer summarized that report at 17:03 Jerusalem. The latest development adds direct Israeli official confirmation to the intelligence picture.
As The Zioneer reported earlier Tuesday, Israeli intelligence assessed that Iran hid thousands of centrifuges in the Mount Machush complex following Operation Rising Lion, the June 2025 Israeli military campaign. The site was not struck in that operation, and President Trump has since announced plans to target it, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The precise quantity of enriched uranium and number of centrifuges transferred, as well as the facility's current operational readiness, remain unverified by independent sources.
3 developments
- DevelopingAssessment: Most 60%-enriched uranium found in destroyed tunnels at Isfahan nuclear site
- StrongIran collapses tunnels, lays mines to shield near-weapons-grade uranium stockpile, CNN reports
- StrongIsraeli assessment: Iran's enriched uranium entombed in attacked Isfahan tunnels, Fordow ruins
- StrongSenior US official: agreement reached on destruction of enriched uranium, confident Israel will cooperate
Source and signal
- Internal intake