US and Israel Weighing Special Ops Raid into Iran to Seize Enriched Uranium
Washington and Jerusalem discuss high-stakes commando missions to secure or dilute Tehran’s nuclear stockpile as the war enters an advanced stage.
The United States and Israel have held high-level discussions regarding the possibility of deploying special forces onto Iranian soil to seize or neutralize the regime’s enriched uranium stockpile.
According to a report by Barak Ravid in Axios, citing four sources familiar with the matter, the operation would likely take place during a more advanced stage of the ongoing conflict.
Preventing Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon remains a primary war aim for President Donald Trump.
US and Israeli officials are reportedly alarmed by Iran’s current cache of approximately 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%. Experts warn that this material could be further enriched to the 90% "weapons-grade" level within weeks, providing enough material for up to 11 nuclear warheads.
"Someone Will Have to Go Get It"
The logistical challenge of such a mission is immense. Iran’s nuclear facilities, such as those in Fordow and Isfahan, are heavily fortified and buried deep underground.
During a Congressional hearing last Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was asked if the U.S. would ensure the security of Iran's enriched uranium.
His response was blunt: "Someone will have to go and get it," though he declined to specify which forces would execute the task.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios that President Trump is "wisely keeping all options open."
While Trump himself has not ruled out ground boots on the floor, he emphasized to reporters on Air Force One that such a move would only happen for a "very good reason" and under conditions where Iran could no longer mount a significant military counter-threat.
Extraction vs. Dilution
Security sources indicate two primary strategies are being debated:
Strategic Paralysis
The report reveals that previous U.S. and Israeli strikes on the Natanz and Isfahan facilities last year were designed to "seal" the entrances, effectively burying the uranium stockpiles under rubble to prevent the regime from moving them to secret locations. Israeli security officials claim that even the Iranians are currently struggling to access their own material due to the structural damage.
Beyond the nuclear threat, the discussions have also touched upon seizing other strategic assets, including Kharg Island, the terminal responsible for 90% of Iran’s oil exports.
Not a "Full-Scale Invasion"
A senior U.S. official clarified that the plans do not involve a "Fallujah-style" mass invasion. Instead, the administration is looking at "surgical" operations, limited, high-impact strikes by elite units aimed at specific strategic goals rather than territorial conquest.