Trump Weighs Commando Raid To Recover Iran’s Buried Highly Enriched Uranium, US Officials Say

Multiple U.S. media reports say the Trump administration discussed a possible commando-style operation to recover Iran’s remaining highly enriched uranium (HEU) buried in underground facilities after last year’s strikes.

“Recovering Iran’s remaining highly enriched uranium stockpile believed to be sitting in a storage facility deep underground, an objective the Trump administration has been discussing, would require a significant number of US ground troops beyond a small special operations footprint, seven current and former officials familiar with the military planning told CNN”

CNN

Intelligence reporting cited in tabloid coverage estimates a large residual stockpile at Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow after a 12-day campaign.

CNN

Officials briefed to mainstream outlets say any recovery would be a complex effort larger than a small special-operations raid.

The discussions reflect Washington weighing a range of options — including special-operations seizures or on-site dilution by nuclear specialists — while grappling with how to physically locate and secure the material.

There is notable disagreement in the public reporting over how much HEU remains and how quickly it could be weaponized.

A tabloid summary of intelligence estimates put the remaining stock at roughly 450 kilograms of uranium enriched to about 60%, and warned experts say that could be pushed to roughly 90% weapons-grade in weeks — a quantity that, by that account, could yield as many as 11 bombs.

The Irish Sun

By contrast, the International Atomic Energy Agency figure cited in mainstream reporting put a lower estimate: roughly 200 kilograms probably remain at Isfahan, while Iran’s material is consistently described as enriched to around 60%.

These differing numbers underscore uncertainty about the scale of the recovery challenge and the speed at which remaining material might be further refined.

Officials and analysts cited in reporting emphasize the operational hazards of any recovery mission.

“Recovering Iran’s remaining highly enriched uranium stockpile believed to be sitting in a storage facility deep underground, an objective the Trump administration has been discussing, would require a significant number of US ground troops beyond a small special operations footprint, seven current and former officials familiar with the military planning told CNN”

CNN

Mainstream sources relayed assessments from current and former officials that retrieving buried HEU would demand far more than a small raid and "would likely mark the first major commitment of US ground forces in the campaign," describing a "complex and hazardous mission to move or render safe tons of highly radioactive material."

Parallel reporting notes Iran has been attempting to clear rubble and access underground tunnels where material was hidden.

Previous U.S. planning concluded a retrieval posed too great a danger, leading to an earlier decision against a raid after last June’s strikes.

Reporting frames the debate as politically charged, citing senior U.S. figures who reiterate that Iran must not rebuild a nuclear weapon while the White House has declined formal comment.

A tabloid named specific senior U.S. figures who stressed that outcome, and mainstream coverage noted President Trump’s stated opposition to any Iranian nuclear-weapon capability.

The Irish Sun

Sources indicate policymakers are weighing a phased approach that could include additional air strikes to further degrade facilities before considering a risky ground operation.

Intelligence collection, including satellite imagery according to the reports, has shown Iran attempting to salvage and conceal damaged infrastructure.