US-Israel Weigh Special Forces to Seize Iran Nuke Stock: Report
The deliberations underline the strategic importance of Iran’s nuclear assets as hostilities continue to escalate
Washington, DC: The United States and Israel have held discussions about the possible deployment of special forces into Iran to secure the country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, according to a report by Axios.
Citing four sources familiar with the discussions, Axios reported that such an operation could be considered at a later stage of the ongoing conflict. The deliberations underline the strategic importance of Iran’s nuclear assets as hostilities continue to escalate.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a strong warning on social media, cautioning that any attack on American citizens would invite a forceful response.
In a post shared by United States Central Command (CENTCOM) on X, Hegseth warned that those threatening Americans would face severe consequences.
“If you kill Americans, if you threaten Americans anywhere on earth, we will hunt you down without apology and without hesitation, and we will kill you,” he said.
The message was accompanied by a 21-second video showing unclassified footage of vehicles and structures being struck and destroyed by US forces during recent military operations.
Hegseth’s remarks come as US President Donald Trump claimed that American forces had dealt a severe blow to Iran’s leadership and military capabilities.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while travelling to Miami, Trump said the military campaign had achieved significant progress.
“We’re winning the war by a lot. We’ve decimated their whole evil empire. It’ll continue, I’m sure, for a little while. The war itself is going unbelievably. It’s as good as it can be,” he said.
Trump also listed what he described as major strategic gains by US forces, claiming that Iran’s naval and air capabilities had been largely destroyed.
“We’ve wiped out their navy—44 ships. We’ve wiped out their air force, every plane. We’ve wiped out most of their missiles,” he said.
According to Trump, Iran’s ability to launch attacks had been significantly weakened. He added that the US had also targeted facilities involved in missile manufacturing and drone production.
“They’re at about nine per cent of what they sent out in the first two days. We’ve also knocked out about 70 per cent of the rockets and the launchers,” he said.
Trump also denied allegations that US forces were responsible for bombing an elementary girls’ school in Iran, instead blaming Iranian weapons systems.
“No, I don’t believe so. Based on what I’ve seen, that was done by Iran. We think it was done by Iran because they’re very inaccurate with their munitions,” he said.
When asked about the expected duration of the military operation, the President declined to give a specific timeline but said Iran’s military capabilities were nearing collapse.
“I never project time—whatever it takes. But the Iranian military is almost nonexistent,” he said.
Speaking alongside the President, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said a diplomatic agreement with Iran could still be possible.
“I think there is. I think that’s going to be up to the President,” Witkoff said, though he noted that earlier negotiations had stalled due to Tehran’s refusal to compromise.
He said Iranian officials had insisted on their right to enrich uranium and had claimed to possess fuel enriched to 60 per cent, which they said could be used to produce multiple nuclear weapons.
The current escalation follows a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 that reportedly killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with several other senior officials.
In response, Iran launched a series of ballistic missiles and drones targeting US assets and regional partners, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, raising risks for civilians and expatriates across West Asia.
Separately, the Israel Defense Forces said the Israeli Air Force carried out targeted strikes on Iranian military infrastructure in Tehran.
In a statement on X, the military said it had struck several fuel storage complexes belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
According to the IDF, the operation—guided by intelligence—targeted facilities used to distribute fuel to various Iranian military units. The military said the strikes significantly damaged the infrastructure supporting Iran’s armed forces.
