DONALD Trump is weighing up a daring special forces raid on Iran’s shattered nuclear bunkers as the regime scrambles to recover uranium that could fuel a new atomic bomb.
US intelligence chiefs warn may still be able to reach highly enriched uranium buried beneath rubble at one of its key nuclear sites.
Donald Trump is considering a special forces raid on Iran’s nuclear bunkers to seize uraniumCredit: Getty
Satellite image shows damage at the Iranian nuclear facility at Arak in central Iran, after an Israeli strike last yearCredit: AFP
It comes as Tehran was rocked by several strikes from Israel as the conflict enters its second weekCredit: Getty
The move raises fears the fanatical regime could try to revive its nukes programme.
The material is believed to be trapped inside underground bunkers at Isfahan, which were smashed during
But officials now believe Iranian crews could reach the uranium through a narrow entrance leading into the wrecked complex.
Trump confirmed he is considering sending in elite American troops to .
Speaking aboard Air Force One, the President said: “At some point, maybe we will. We haven’t gone after it. We wouldn’t do it now. Maybe we will do it later.
“If we ever did that, [the Iranians] would be so decimated that they wouldn’t be able to fight on the ground level.”
The uranium was effectively “entombed” beneath vast quantities of rubble after US and Israeli forces hammered ‘s nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow during the ferocious 12-day war.
Despite the devastation, intelligence officials believe the regime may still control around 450kg of uranium enriched to 60 per cent, The Telegraph reports.
Experts say it would take just weeks to convert the material to 90 per cent weapons-grade, enough to built up to 11 nuclear bombs.
and Jerusalem are now weighing drastic options to stop that happening.
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One possibility is a covert special forces operation to physically recover the uranium.
Another is sending in nuclear specialists to dilute the material on site, rendering it useless for weapons.
A US official told Axios: “The first question is, where is it? The second question is, how do we get to it and how do we get physical control?”
“And then, it would be a decision of the president and the department of war, CIA, as to whether we wanted to physically transport it or dilute it on premises.”
Another source said any mission would likely involve “small special ops raids – not a big force going in.”
The uranium could be converted to weapons-grade in weeksCredit: Getty
Officials stress the operation is not imminent, with US and Israeli forces expected to further weaken ‘s military first through continuing airstrikes.
The US initially decided against retrieving the uranium after the war last June, when Trump concluded it would be too dangerous.
During the campaign – dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer – American B-2 stealth bombers and submarines unleashed a devastating barrage of bunker-buster bombs and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
The strikes obliterated key parts of Tehran’s nuclear programme, with Trump declaring the assault a “spectacular success” that “obliterated” the regime’s atomic ambitions.
But fresh intelligence now suggests the mullahs are desperately trying to salvage what survived.
at Natanz and Isfahan, in an apparent attempt to hide salvage work from spy satellites.
Security experts warned the structures could allow crews to quietly dig through the wreckage to recover enriched uranium or sensitive equipment.
The developments come as Trump and his top officials insist Iran will never be allowed to rebuild its nuclear arsenal.
Vice President warned Tehran had already been caught trying to revive its bomb programme.
He said: “The principle is very simple: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
“If they try to rebuild a nuclear weapon, that causes problems for us.”
Vance added US intelligence had “seen evidence that [Iran] had tried to do exactly that.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also warned the regime remains a grave threat, saying: “People are going to have to go and get it.”
Large plumes of smoke rise over Tehran after explosions were reported in the city overnightCredit: AFP
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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