US, 'Israel' weigh special forces strike on Iranian nuclear sites
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- US and 'Israel' reportedly discuss deploying special forces to seize enriched uranium in Iran.
- Central Iranian sites, including Isfahan and Fordow, under strategic review for potential attacks.
Washington is reportedly considering a major escalation in its campaign against Iran’s nuclear program, including the possible deployment of US special forces deep inside the country to seize high-enriched uranium and destroy fortified nuclear facilities from within.
According to four sources cited by Axios, US and 'Israel' officials have discussed sending troops into Iran in a later phase of the current confrontation to directly target fissile material.
Isfahan under scrutiny
Satellite images analyzed by the Institute for Science and International Security show that the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center, believed to store enough uranium for up to ten nuclear weapons, has reinforced its tunnel entrances with soil and other fortifications to resist potential attacks.
Read more: 'Israel' keeps up Lebanon strikes as ground forces advance
This focus comes as part of what Washington calls “Operation Epic Wrath,” a campaign previously aimed at crippling Iran’s naval and ballistic missile capabilities. The nuclear program remains the administration’s “highest priority,” with President Donald Trump vowing to prevent Tehran from acquiring a bomb.
Special forces training for nuclear operations
Jonathan Hackett, a former US Marine Corps special operations specialist, said Delta Force units have trained extensively in “weapons of mass destruction” missions, which involve infiltrating facilities, confiscating centrifuges and fissile materials, and removing them safely.
Read more: 'Israel' backing Iranian Kurdish plans to seize Iran border areas: Reuters
However, experts warn that a ground operation would face extreme logistical and security challenges. Mike Mulroy, former deputy assistant secretary of defense, called such missions “highly dangerous,” noting that US forces are more likely to strike fortified tunnels with GBU-57 bunker-buster bombs before considering any ground deployment.
Spencer Faragasso, a former research fellow at the Institute for Science and International Security, added that while ground operations are possible, the risks and complexity make airstrikes a more probable approach.
Historical context and US-'Israel' coordination
Reports note that US Central Command (CENTCOM) has already developed plans for strikes on critical sites like Isfahan and Fordow. During President Barack Obama’s tenure, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak proposed sending Israeli commandos into sites such as Isfahan, Fordow, and Qom, a plan dismissed by the Obama administration as “insane.”
CENTCOM declined to comment on current plans but referenced recent remarks by Defense Secretary 'Beit Heigsith', who said President Trump has an operational plan managed by Admiral Brad Cooper, emphasizing that targets will be struck in line with strategic objectives without revealing field details.
