US, Israel Plan Possible Raid to Secure Iran’s Enriched Uranium

According to a report by the American news website Axios, the United States and Israel have held high-level discussions regarding the deployment of special operations forces into Iran to secure the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium. This potential mission would target approximately 450 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, a material that President Trump has identified as a critical threat since it could be further refined to weapons-grade levels within a matter of weeks.

The proposed operation would be exceptionally complex, requiring American or Israeli elite units to infiltrate Iranian territory and penetrate heavily fortified underground installations. While it remains unclear if the mission would be a joint endeavor or led by a single nation, sources indicate that such a move would likely only proceed once the U.S. and Israel are certain that the Iranian military’s ability to retaliate has been sufficiently degraded.

During a Congressional briefing on Tuesday, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio underscored the necessity of physical intervention by stating that someone would eventually have to go in and get the material, though he stopped short of specifying which forces would be responsible. Current planning reportedly involves two primary strategies: either the complete extraction of the uranium from Iran or the deployment of nuclear experts and special forces—potentially including representatives from the International Atomic Energy Agency—to dilute and neutralize the stockpile on-site.

Beyond the nuclear facilities, U.S. officials have also discussed the strategic possibility of seizing Kharg Island. As the hub for roughly 90% of Iran’s crude oil exports, control of the island would serve as a massive blow to the Iranian economy and its ability to sustain military operations. While President Trump has signaled that ground deployments are a serious consideration for specific targets, administration officials have emphasized that these plans focus on limited, high-impact raids rather than a large-scale ground invasion.