According to diplomatic sources from the United States, President Donald Trump has tasked military and intelligence agencies with developing plans for a potential operation aimed at isolating the heavily fortified "Mountain of Axe" facility in Iran from the rest of Tehran's nuclear system. This initiative, as per the sources, is believed to have one of its possible objectives focused on compelling Iran towards what has been described as "nuclear surrender."
The sources indicate that the directives include preparing options for an airborne assault synchronized with intensified missile strikes. The goal is to incapacitate the facility, sever its connections with Iran's nuclear program, and explore the possibility of targeting enrichment-related installations and research centers within the complex, while maintaining continuous aerial surveillance and military pressure over the site.
Reports suggest that Trump has requested the agencies involved to base their plans on a comprehensive assessment of Iran's capabilities to thwart any potential operation, the level of fortifications surrounding the site, and the ability of Iranian forces to protect the approaches to it. Furthermore, they are to evaluate the likelihood of successfully isolating the facility and practically detaching it from the nuclear program.
The entities engaged in exploring these options, according to the sources, include American military and intelligence institutions alongside military advisors from special forces. The drafted plans are expected to be submitted to Trump and several high-ranking officials in his administration before a decision is made.
The plans also contemplate the feasibility of disrupting enrichment-related facilities within the complex and incapacitating sections of the underlying tunnel network, all while arranging for the evacuation of troops that might participate in any airborne operation and minimizing potential human casualties.
This revelation comes at a time when Trump has publicly resumed threats regarding the potential targeting of the "Mountain of Axe," coinciding with satellite images that have revealed increased activity and accelerated operations at the site and its surroundings, following American and Israeli strikes on the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan facilities during the twelve-day conflict.
According to a U.S. diplomat close to the White House, one of the key discussions revolves around rendering the facility inoperable, either by disabling its vital installations or isolating its entrances and operational systems, thereby preventing its use as an alternative center for restoring aspects of Iran's nuclear capabilities.
Moreover, the plans also address the practicality of executing a joint operation involving multiple military sectors, the duration required for such an operation, the scale of forces needed, and the capacity of U.S. forces to disable the facility and prevent its transformation into what could resemble an "Iranian nuclear bank" for storing centrifuges, uranium stockpiles, and components related to other strategic programs.
The diplomat emphasized that any final plan will depend on a detailed assessment of the human and military presence of the Revolutionary Guard surrounding the site, the supply lines that could be utilized to bolster Iranian forces there, as well as estimating the military needs necessary to accomplish the mission.
The "Mountain of Axe" is one of the most mysterious and fortified Iranian sites, situated near the Natanz complex in central Iran. It comprises a network of tunnels and facilities buried deep beneath a rocky mountain. There are varying intelligence estimates regarding its use, particularly concerning whether it is designated for storing equipment and materials related to the nuclear program or if it possesses broader operational capabilities.
In recent months, additional fortification efforts have been observed at the site and its surroundings, increasing American interest, especially given the damage inflicted on several other Iranian nuclear facilities.
In this context, reports over the past weeks have indicated preparations at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico to test capabilities related to engaging deeply buried targets, amidst speculation regarding the connection of these tests to the options being considered by Washington regarding heavily fortified Iranian facilities.
Researcher Farhad Dzhayi at the "Standard for Strategic Studies" center told Erem News that Washington views the "Mountain of Axe" as one of the most capable sites for providing a fortified refuge for the Iranian nuclear program, particularly with the potential to transfer equipment and capabilities from other facilities that have been targeted.
Dzhayi added that the complex was built within a hard rock mass and at significant depths underground, complicating military engagement and leading the United States to consider options that go beyond conventional airstrikes.
He pointed out that Iran has benefited in recent months from Washington's distractions with multiple regional issues, coinciding with the transfer or redistribution of some of its nuclear capabilities, amid a decline in international inspection operations, thus increasing the site's significance in American calculations.
Moreover, Iranian affairs researcher Dr. Mohammed Al-Madhhaji told Erem News that Trump is seeking to achieve a significant accomplishment regarding Iranian nuclear capabilities, which can be politically leveraged domestically during the upcoming mid-term congressional elections, considering that the "Mountain of Axe" represents one of the sites whose targeting could alter the balance of confrontation and negotiations with Tehran.
Al-Madhhaji added that the site's importance is linked, according to his estimates, to the possibility of housing advanced centrifuges and strategic equipment, indicating that a significant strike against it could enhance Washington's leverage in its negotiations with Iran, as well as in its dealings with China, Russia, and some Western powers regarding how to end the confrontation.
He opined that inflicting extensive damage on the facility, should a decision be made, could provide the Trump administration with an additional card to reshape the negotiation trajectory with Tehran, particularly as the Iranian issue has become intertwined with the political, military, and economic support Iran receives from Moscow and Beijing.
As reported by eremnews.com.
