The United States and Israel are discussing the possibility of deploying special forces inside Iran to secure the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium as the conflict with Tehran deepens, according to sources familiar with the matter cited by Axios.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, US president Donald Trump did not rule out the idea of sending ground troops into Iran, though he indicated that such a move would only be considered under exceptional circumstances.
Click here for live updates“At some point maybe we will. That would be a great thing,” Trump said when asked about securing Iran’s nuclear material. “Right now we’re just decimating them, but we haven’t gone after it. We wouldn’t do it now. Maybe we will do it later.”
Focus on uranium stockpile
Preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon has been one of Trump’s stated objectives in the war. Central to that concern is Iran’s estimated 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60% purity, which experts say could be converted to weapons-grade material within weeks.
According to Axios, US and Israeli officials have discussed sending special operations units to secure the material later in the war, once Iran’s military capabilities are further degraded.
Any such mission would likely require American or Israeli troops to enter Iranian territory and navigate heavily fortified underground nuclear facilities.
It remains unclear whether the operation would be conducted by US forces, Israeli troops or a joint team.
At a congressional briefing earlier this week, US secretary of state Marco Rubio suggested that physically securing the uranium could become necessary. “People are going to have to go and get it,” he said, without specifying who would carry out the mission.
Options under discussion
A US official told the news outlet that the administration has explored two main approaches: removing the enriched uranium from Iran entirely or sending nuclear experts to dilute it on-site so it can no longer be used for weapons.
Such an operation could involve special operations units working alongside nuclear scientists, potentially including experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
“The first question is, where is it? The second question is, how do we get to it and how do we get physical control?” a US official said while outlining the operational challenge.
“And then, it would be a decision of the president and the Department of War, CIA, as to whether we wanted to physically transport it or dilute it on premises.”
Underground facilities
US and Israeli officials believe most of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is located in underground tunnels at the nuclear facility in Isfahan, with the rest split between Fordow and Natanz.
Strikes carried out by the US and Israel earlier in the conflict reportedly buried parts of the uranium stockpile under rubble and destroyed most of Iran’s centrifuges, with officials saying there is currently no evidence that enrichment has resumed.
Some of the early strikes also appeared aimed at sealing entrances to the sites, likely to prevent the material from being moved.
Kharg Island also on cards
Beyond nuclear facilities, Axios reported that officials in Washington have also discussed the possibility of seizing Kharg Island, a strategic oil terminal that handles about 90% of Iran’s crude exports.
Taking control of the island could deal a significant blow to Iran’s energy revenues and restrict its ability to fund military operations.
Not a large ground invasion
Despite discussions about deploying troops, officials emphasised that any operation under consideration would likely be limited in scope.
NBC News reported that Trump had discussed sending a small contingent of US troops to Iran for specific strategic missions.
“Boots on the ground for Trump is not the same as what it means for the media,” a senior US official told Axios.
“Small special ops raids, not a big force going in,” another source said.
“What has been discussed hasn't been thought of in terms of boots on the ground,” a third source added. “People think Fallujah. That's not what has been discussed.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also said Trump continues to keep his options open. “The president wisely keeps all options available to him open, and does not rule things out,” she told Axios.
Strategic stakes
The enriched uranium remains one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict. Officials say that if Iran’s entire stockpile were enriched to 90% purity, it could potentially produce material for around 11 nuclear bombs.
For the Trump administration and its allies, ensuring the material cannot be weaponised has become a key strategic objective as the war with Iran continues.