The Wall Street Journal reports that Israeli intelligence assessed that Iran moved thousands of centrifuges to the underground Mount Machush facility last autumn, after Operation Rising Lion. The assessment was shared with the US, and President Trump threatened to strike the site, according to the report.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that President Trump threatened to strike the underground Mount Machush facility, according to the report. The threat follows the Journal's earlier disclosure that Israeli intelligence assessed that Iran moved thousands of centrifuges to the site after Operation Rising Lion in June 2025. Trump's warning was issued hours after the Journal first reported the intelligence assessment, marking an escalation in the administration's rhetoric.
The story broke at 04:51 Jerusalem Tuesday when The Wall Street Journal first reported, citing Israeli intelligence, that Iran had transferred thousands of centrifuges to the Mount Machush site, less than 2 km from Natanz. At the same time, N12's Assaf Rosenzweig confirmed that Israel had passed the intelligence to the United States. Multiple versions of the report followed in rapid succession, all published at 04:51, including the Journal's specific detail that the centrifuges are 80–100 meters underground. At 07:07, The Zioneer reported that the Journal had disclosed that Israel shared an updated assessment with the US. At 07:24, The Zioneer analyzed that the Mount Machush site is virtually immune to conventional airstrikes, citing its depth and hardening.
As The Zioneer reported on July 14, President Trump had already escalated threats against the site, saying 'We will reach the site, tell Iran to prepare.' The current threat comes amid broader concerns about Iran's nuclear ambitions. On July 11, CNN reported satellite imagery showing reconstruction at the Taleghan 2 facility and activity at an undeclared underground complex near Natanz. Bloomberg reported on June 3 that Western officials assess the risk of Iran secretly advancing nuclear weapons is higher now than before the 2025 strikes. An Israeli assessment reported on July 15 holds that most of Iran's near-weapons-grade enriched uranium is buried in the rubble of struck sites, but the Mount Machush transfer suggests a rebuilding effort.
The status of the centrifuges at Mount Machush remains unclear. The assessment that they are there is based on Israeli intelligence and has not been independently confirmed. The exact operational capability of the centrifuges is unknown, and it is not clear whether they are currently enriching uranium.
9 developments
- StrongWSJ: Israel shared intelligence on Iran's Mount Machush centrifuge move to urge US strike
- DevelopingThe Zioneer assesses: Iran's Mount Pikaks site immune to conventional strike, centrifuge transfer deepens nuclear threat
- StrongIran collapses tunnels, lays mines to shield near-weapons-grade uranium stockpile, CNN reports
- StrongIran reportedly building underground nuclear facility in violation of US MOU, Israeli security source says
Source and signal
- Internal intake