Unprecedented Depth and Exceptional Fortification
The site, officially known as "Koh Kolang Gaz La," which translates to "Mountain of the Axe" in Persian, is strategically located less than two kilometers south of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility that was struck by American forces in 2025. Carved into the depths of the Zagros Mountains in Iran, this facility is fortified to an extraordinary degree, situated at an astounding depth of 600 meters below the earth's surface. This remarkable depth makes it six times deeper than the previously most fortified facility in Iran's nuclear program, Fordo. Notably, it features four main tunnel entrances, complicating any attempts to neutralize it through aerial bombardment. American experts believe that the depth of this site may render it beyond the reach of the most powerful bunker-busting bombs currently available.
Intelligence Estimates and Functions of the Site
Intelligence analysts predict that the facility houses manufacturing plants for modern-generation centrifuges, and there are estimates suggesting that Iran has relocated part of its 60% enriched uranium stockpile into this deeply embedded site. Specialized analyses indicate that this location could potentially enable Iran to produce up to 19 nuclear weapons within a mere three months. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that his administration is closely monitoring the site, asserting, "We are watching the Mountain of the Axe site in Iran closely and do not see any activity there," while also expressing concerns about Iran's nuclear situation, stating, "Every time we hear about something, we destroy it." Trump is facing mounting pressure from the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) to address the issue of the site as swiftly as possible. Blaze Mitzal, the institute's vice president, warned that the Mountain of the Axe facility is deeper, larger, and better fortified than Fordo, highlighting the risk that it may fall outside the range of American bombs. JINSA President Michael Makovsky emphasized that failing to completely dismantle Iran's nuclear program would represent a substantial missed opportunity.
Iran has consistently denied access to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for inspections of the site, leading to what is described as a "blind spot" impervious to international inspectors. Satellite imagery, including that from Airbus’s Pleiades Neo satellite, has revealed that Iran has accelerated construction at the site following the American strikes, with images showing trucks suspected of transporting highly enriched uranium into the tunnels. The omission of this site from previous strikes can be attributed to several factors: its extraordinary depth of 600 meters, the natural protection provided by the towering mountain, the multiple tunnel entrances that complicate closure through bombing, and the lack of precise intelligence regarding its current contents. American experts assert that this site represents a critical gap in any claims of having fully destroyed Iran's nuclear program.
As reported by sabq.org.
