Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to present President Trump with intelligence showing that Iran is expanding its nuclear infrastructure at the secretive Pickaxe Mountain site, and that Tehran is not negotiating in good faith despite claiming interest in continued peace talks, according to a source in Jerusalem cited by the New York Post.
Netanyahu was set to meet with Trump on Monday, with the Iran war and Tehran's nuclear program expected to dominate the agenda. During the meeting, Netanyahu's team planned to present evidence of Iran's latest nuclear activity and argue that the regime is not currently negotiating sincerely, the source told the Post.
According to reporting cited by the Post, Israel has uncovered evidence that nuclear centrifuges recently arrived at the Pickaxe Mountain facility for the first time since construction began in 2020 — a finding first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The facility sits more than 300 feet beneath Kolang Mountain, near the Natanz nuclear site, and has long been suspected of playing a role in Iran's atomic program.
Previously, there had been no evidence of nuclear activity at the site — a fact Trump had cited as his reason for not targeting it in earlier strikes on Iran. Last week, Trump downplayed reports of activity there, telling reporters the U.S. had no information confirming it.
Trump has since signaled openness to striking the mountain facility, and American forces are reportedly prepared to carry out a ground operation to seize hundreds of pounds of enriched uranium believed to be stored inside the mountain.
The Jerusalem source also said Israel would present evidence that Iran is rebuilding its missile and drone programs, which had been significantly degraded by repeated U.S. airstrikes. Combined, the intelligence is intended to demonstrate that Iran is not serious about abandoning its nuclear or missile ambitions during ongoing cease-fire negotiations with Washington.
Trump had paused a nearly two-week bombing campaign against Iran over the weekend as new talks emerged aimed at ending Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz.
Beyond the nuclear briefing, Netanyahu is also expected to update Trump on efforts to maintain cease-fires in Lebanon and Gaza, where Iran-backed proxies operate. The prime minister is scheduled to remain in Washington through Tuesday, when he will join Trump and other world leaders at services honoring the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).
Photo: Source