Washington DC (International News Desk): The United States is weighing a direct ground intervention in Iran to secure and remove highly enriched Uranium, a move that would represent a significant escalation in the month-long conflict. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signaled the Pentagon’s intent to remain “unpredictable,” refusing to rule out “boots on the ground” during a briefing on Wednesday. This strategic ambiguity is aimed at keeping Tehran off-balance as the Trump administration briefed the House Armed Services Committee on the prospect of deploying elite special operations teams to extract radioactive material from deep within Iranian territory.
White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly confirmed that the administration has conducted 20 bipartisan briefings for Congress, reiterating President Trump’s goal of “completely demolishing” Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities and its nuclear ambitions. Former CIA Director John Ratcliffe recently told US media that Iran possesses at least 440 kg of 60 per cent enriched Uranium—enough to fuel 10 nuclear weapons. While US and Israeli strikes last June targeted premier sites like Natanz and Fordow, intelligence suggests the material remains stationary, primarily in Isfahan, according to IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi.
Indian military analysts suggest that such an extraction mission would likely involve specialized units tasked with handling hazardous radioactive material under heavy fire, potentially prolonging the conflict by several weeks. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard informed Congress earlier this month that the US intelligence community has “high confidence” regarding the exact location of the stockpiles. The mission would require securing high-security facilities long enough for technical teams to stabilize and transport the material out of the country.
To support this potential operation, the US has significantly bolstered its regional presence, moving Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU) designed for amphibious assaults into the theater. Additionally, elite Army divisions specializing in rapid insertion—including the 101st Airborne, the 82nd Airborne, and the Army Rangers—have been positioned to strike and secure Iranian nuclear sites. The deployment of these “parachute assault” capable forces indicates that Washington is preparing for a high-intensity, short-duration mission to neutralize Tehran’s nuclear threat once and for all.
