Fighter jets flying in formation over the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea [US Navy/AFP=Yonhap News file photo]

The United States has notified Israel that it plans to escalate its strikes against Iran within the next few days and intends to deploy heavy bombers to target Iran's secret nuclear facilities, Israel's public broadcaster Kan reported on the 22nd (local time).

According to the report, the U.S. bombers are expected to target "Pickaxe Mountain," where Iran’s underground nuclear facilities are believed to be located.

Pickaxe Mountain is located near Iran's Natanz uranium enrichment plant and is known to house fortified underground nuclear facilities.

Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump stated, "We will be hitting that region very hard in the near future," adding, "Any place where they are even thinking about anything having to do with nuclear, we're going to hit it very, very hard."

The U.S. sharing its airstrike plans with Israel is interpreted as a measure to prepare for the possibility that Iran, opposing the intensified U.S. offensive, might increase its level of retaliation, such as by launching missiles at Israel.

Kan reported that Israel has been maintaining the highest level of alert following this notification from the U.S.