The United States and Israel are weighing the possibility of deploying special forces inside Iran to secure the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, as concerns grow that the material could still be accessed despite previous strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
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 suggested such a move would only be considered under exceptional circumstances.
“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.”
The comments come as the week-long war between the United States, Israel and Iran continues to expand across the region. Airstrikes have targeted Iranian military infrastructure and leadership, while Tehran has responded with drone and missile attacks on US bases and regional partners across the Gulf.
Special forces raid under discussion
According to reports, the US and Israel have explored the possibility of sending special operations troops into Iran to seize the country’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
The plan, reported by the New York Times, would likely involve elite commando units tasked with locating and securing nuclear material stored at key facilities. Such an operation would only be considered after sustained airstrikes weaken Iranian defences.
Officials say the Trump administration has discussed two main options for dealing with the uranium stockpile. One possibility would involve removing the material from Iran entirely. Another would involve deploying nuclear specialists to dilute the uranium at the site, rendering it unusable for weapons development.
A separate proposal reportedly includes seizing Kharg Island, a major hub responsible for nearly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports. Capturing the island could cripple Tehran’s energy revenues while tightening pressure on the Iranian government.
Any commando operation, however, would carry significant risks. Military planners believe Iran’s remaining air defences and missile capabilities would need to be degraded further before a ground raid could be attempted safely.
Trump acknowledged those risks while suggesting the option remains on the table.
“If we ever did that, they would be so decimated that they wouldn’t be able to fight at the ground level,” he said.
The debate over securing Iran’s nuclear material has intensified following intelligence assessments suggesting that Tehran could still retrieve its main stockpile of enriched uranium.
US intelligence agencies believe the material is buried beneath the nuclear complex at Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, which was heavily damaged in American strikes last year.
War expands across the region
The discussions about securing Iran’s nuclear assets come as the broader conflict continues to escalate across West Asia.
Israeli airstrikes have targeted fuel depots and military infrastructure in Tehran, while the Israeli military says it also struck facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
At the same time, Iran and allied groups have launched missiles and drones toward Israel and several Gulf states, including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised for strikes on neighbouring countries, even as hard-line figures signalled that Tehran’s war strategy would continue.
Trump, meanwhile, has maintained that the US campaign is weakening Iran’s military. Speaking during his flight, he said American strikes had destroyed much of Tehran’s naval and aerial capabilities and significantly reduced its missile production.
“We’re winning the war by a lot,” he said. “We’ve wiped out their navy, their air force and most of their missiles.”
