US, Israel Discuss Special Forces Raid on Iran's Nuclear Stockpile

The United States and Israel are actively discussing the possibility of deploying special operations forces inside Iran to secure the country's stockpile of highly enriched uranium. These discussions are taking place amidst an ongoing conflict and escalating concerns that Iran may still be able to access significant quantities of nuclear material, despite previous military strikes aimed at its nuclear facilities. Multiple credible news outlets, including Axios and The Times of India, reported on March 8, 2026, that such an operation is being considered, though it would likely be undertaken at a later stage of the current war or once the focus definitively shifts to neutralizing Iran's nuclear capabilities. The primary motivation for these considerations is Iran's possession of approximately 450 kilograms (about 992 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% purity. This quantity is a critical concern for international observers and security agencies, as it could be further enriched to weapons-grade levels (90% purity) within weeks and is theoretically sufficient to produce material for up to eleven nuclear bombs. The current discussions follow joint US-Israeli strikes in June 2025 that targeted Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. While these strikes aimed to disrupt Iran's nuclear program and reportedly buried significant uranium stockpiles under rubble and destroyed many centrifuges, recent intelligence assessments indicate that Iran may still have a "very narrow access point" through which to retrieve this highly enriched material. This assessment has intensified the debate within Washington and Tel Aviv regarding how to definitively prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Officials familiar with the internal discussions indicate that two main operational options are being weighed for securing the uranium: either physically removing the material from Iran entirely or bringing in nuclear experts, potentially alongside International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) personnel, to dilute the enriched uranium on-site to a less dangerous level. Any ground operation, however, is acknowledged to be fraught with significant risks. Military planners believe that Iran's remaining air defenses and ballistic missile capabilities would need to be substantially degraded before such a commando raid could be attempted safely. US President Donald Trump has publicly affirmed that preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons is one of his administration's stated war objectives and has not ruled out the possibility of deploying ground troops for this purpose. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth have also emphasized the need to secure the uranium, with Hegseth issuing a stern warning of lethal consequences for entities targeting American citizens, highlighting the administration's uncompromising stance on national security. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has expressed ongoing concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program. In recent reports, the IAEA has stated its inability to fully verify Iran's enrichment-related activities and the exact location, size, or composition of its enriched uranium stockpile. This lack of transparency and access for international inspectors further fuels proliferation anxieties and underscores the urgency behind the US-Israeli deliberations. Iran, for its part, maintains that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and insists on its right to nuclear enrichment. However, its actions, including enriching uranium to levels with no peaceful application and obstructing inspectors, have consistently drawn international scrutiny and heightened fears of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. The escalating hostilities in the region, including Iranian retaliatory strikes on US bases and regional partners following the initial US-Israeli offensive in February 2026, contribute to the volatile environment in which these special forces discussions are taking place. The News18 article aligns with widely reported information from other credible sources on March 8, 2026, confirming that the discussion around deploying special forces to secure Iran's nuclear material is a current and significant development in the ongoing conflict. While News18 has a varied credibility record, the core assertion in this specific report is well-corroborated.

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