WASHINGTON, United States: A reported Iran uranium raid under US consideration could require thousands of troops to enter fortified nuclear sites and remove or destroy enriched material, according to a July 25 report.
The operation would involve ground forces securing nuclear facilities, clearing possible explosives and protecting evacuation routes.
A smaller specialist team would then handle the uranium, the New York Post reported, citing a person familiar with military planning.
Joseph Rodgers of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said forces would need secure perimeters, convoy routes and an air corridor. Engineers could also have to reopen entrances damaged by earlier strikes.
However, the report did not say President Donald Trump had approved the operation. The White House and Pentagon had not publicly announced such a mission.
Read: Iran Uranium Cache Sealed as US Talks Face New Risk
The concept predates the latest reporting. The Washington Post reported in April that US military planners had drafted a contingency to recover nearly 1,000 pounds, or about 450 kilograms, of uranium enriched to 60%.
Officials and experts have identified damaged facilities near Isfahan and Natanz in central Iran as possible storage locations. However, international inspectors have not verified the complete location of the stockpile.
Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz represents a separate potential target. Israeli intelligence believes Iran moved thousands of centrifuges into its tunnels last year, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Iran denied conducting nuclear activity there. Satellite imagery cited by Reuters showed construction continued, but the facility was not yet operational. Experts estimated that it lies at least 100 meters underground, complicating either an airstrike or a ground operation.
