U.S. Reportedly Weighs Ground Operation to Secure Iran’s Enriched Uranium After Limits of Airstrikes
The United States is reportedly considering a high-risk ground operation inside Iran aimed at securing or eliminating enriched uranium stockpiles, according to reports cited by The New York Times.
The reported plans come as U.S. officials assess the limitations of airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, with concerns that some underground facilities may be too difficult to fully neutralize through aerial attacks alone.
According to the report, potential options under consideration could involve the deployment of thousands of U.S. troops to secure the areas surrounding Iranian nuclear sites before specialized forces conduct operations inside the facilities.
The proposed mission would reportedly involve elite units, including Navy SEALs and Army Rangers, as well as specialized teams responsible for handling possible contamination risks. Their objectives would reportedly include locating, removing, or destroying fissile material.
Among the facilities reportedly viewed as priority targets are the underground nuclear complexes at Fordow, Isfahan, and Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz, which are considered among Iran’s most heavily protected nuclear-related sites.
However, any ground operation inside Iran would represent a major escalation and carry significant military and political risks. U.S. President Donald Trump previously acknowledged the difficulty of conducting military operations against Iran, warning that Iran’s size, geography, and military capabilities make it fundamentally different from smaller conflicts.
“Iran is not Venezuela where you come in and then you leave,” Trump said.
The reports come amid continued tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program, regional influence, and ongoing military confrontations. A U.S. ground operation inside Iran would likely have major consequences for regional stability and could trigger a broader conflict across the Middle East.
U.S. officials have not publicly confirmed that such an operation has been approved, and the reported plans remain under discussion.