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Iran transferred thousands of uranium enrichment centrifuges to a heavily fortified underground complex inside Pickaxe Mountain last autumn, according to an Israeli intelligence assessment shared with the United States, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing Israeli and American officials.

According to the report, Israeli intelligence concluded that the relocation occurred after the June 2025 war, during which Israeli and U.S. forces carried out strikes against Iran’s three principal nuclear facilities. The findings were reportedly passed along to Washington following the operation.

An Israeli military official familiar with the campaign told The Wall Street Journal that the previous strikes failed to adequately address infrastructure connected to Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The official said additional military action remains necessary, particularly against the underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain.

The report also said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been urging President Donald Trump to authorize another round of large-scale attacks aimed at hindering Iran’s nuclear ambitions and preventing Tehran from rebuilding damaged facilities.

The United States has already stepped up its military campaign over the past ten days, and President Trump has suggested that Pickaxe Mountain—located roughly one mile south of the Natanz nuclear complex—could become a future target.

Neither Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi nor the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) responded to requests for comment, according to the report. The White House instead pointed reporters to comments the president made in media interviews last week.

During one of those interviews, with radio host Hugh Hewitt, President Trump appeared to suggest that the underground facility could soon come under attack.

“Pickaxe is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right in the front door. And I think that maybe you’ll see that,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump is expected to decide within days whether to dramatically expand the U.S. military campaign against Iran, with American forces already repositioning personnel and equipment in preparation for the possibility of a broader offensive, according to senior U.S. officials.

Fox News reported Monday that the White House is considering a significant escalation of the conflict, though administration officials stressed that no final decision has yet been made.

If President Trump authorizes a wider military operation, officials said the campaign would be substantially larger than the nine-night series of precision strikes that began on July 7 and largely focused on Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz.

Until now, U.S. forces have deliberately avoided attacking targets in or around Tehran and have refrained from striking Iran’s nuclear facilities. One official indicated that policy could quickly change if the administration decides to resume full-scale combat operations.

“That could change if there is a return to full-scale war operations,” the official said.

According to Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is preparing to reinforce its military presence in the region with additional tactical aircraft, including F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, along with KC-135 aerial refueling tankers capable of supporting an expanded air campaign.

Officials said some military assets have already begun moving into the Middle East, describing the deployments as precautionary steps while senior leadership awaits a final order from the White House.

“That is some of the movement that is occurring, but it is preparatory ahead of a final decision,” the official said.

As part of those preparations, aerial refueling aircraft are reportedly being relocated to Israel from other bases in the region. Officials believe Israeli military airfields would provide greater protection for the aircraft than installations in Persian Gulf countries if the conflict expands and Israel joins the operation.

“All of that is being discussed and debated right now,” the official said, adding that Israel would likely participate “if Trump decides to significantly widen the war.”

Meanwhile, American military operations continued Monday, as U.S. forces carried out strikes against Iranian military targets for the tenth consecutive night.

Earlier in the day, President Trump warned Iran against carrying out any additional attacks on American troops, promising overwhelming retaliation if U.S. servicemembers are killed.

“Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” Trump declared.

The president added that the directive has already been communicated to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Daniel Caine, and “every Leader in the Military.”

{Matzav.com}