US and Israeli officials have discussed the possibility of deploying special operations forces into Iran to secure that country’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium, Axios reported, citing four people familiar with the talks. Sources said such an operation would be considered at a later stage of the widening conflict, reflecting a growing focus on Iranian nuclear assets as hostilities intensify.
The hardline rhetoric from US commanders and political leaders has accompanied the deliberations. United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth amplified a firm stance in a post shared by US Central Command (CENTCOM) on X, warning that any actors who kill or threaten Americans “anywhere on earth” will be pursued and killed “without apology and without hesitation.” CENTCOM also released a 21-second clip of unclassified footage showing vehicles and structures struck by US forces, highlighting current military reach.
President Donald Trump has similarly portrayed the campaign as achieving major results. Travelling aboard Air Force One, he told reporters the US had “decimated their whole evil empire” and removed Iranian leadership, describing the operation as excising a “cancer.” He characterized the effort as “winning the war by a lot” and cited what he said were significant strikes against Iranian capabilities — including the destruction of dozens of ships, the loss of Iranian aircraft, and severe damage to missile stocks and launchers. Trump asserted that Iran’s ability to carry out offensive strikes has been sharply reduced: he said missiles were “not coming much anymore,” drone capacity was diminished, and manufacturing sites had been heavily damaged.
When asked about reports that an elementary girls’ school in Iran had been bombed, the President denied US responsibility and attributed the incident to failures or inaccuracy of Iranian munitions. He declined to give a firm end date for the campaign, saying Iran’s military was “almost nonexistent” while leaving open the possibility of further strikes.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said a diplomatic breakthrough could still be possible but would depend on the President. Witkoff said earlier negotiations faltered because Tehran would not compromise; he recounted Iranian negotiators asserting an “inalienable right to enrich,” claiming to possess 60-percent enriched fuel — which they said could yield multiple bombs — and signaling a reluctance to yield in talks what might be seized militarily.
The reported discussions about special forces follow a joint US-Israel operation on February 28 that, according to the report, killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior officials. Tehran answered with a large retaliatory campaign, launching drones and ballistic missiles at US assets and regional partners, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan, raising risks to civilians and expatriates across West Asia.
Separately, the Israel Defense Forces said the Israeli Air Force struck several fuel storage complexes in Tehran linked to the IRGC. In a post on X, the IDF said guided strikes targeted facilities used to distribute fuel to multiple Iranian military units and released a graphic identifying a Tehran fuel storage site it said was used by Iran’s military forces.
(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)
