US, Israel mull targeting Iran's uranium stockpile, weigh ground invasion - report
According to officials, US President Donald Trump weighed sending special operations units into Iran as one of several options to prevent the country from further enriching its uranium.
The US and Israel have debated going after Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium at a later stage of the war, Axios reported on Sunday.
According to unnamed Israeli and US officials, US President Donald Trump weighed sending special operations units into Iran, as one of several options to prevent the country from further enriching its uranium into weapons-grade material.
If the US were to begin "boots on the ground" operations, officials said, it would consist of small special operations raids, not a large force.
One US official claimed that there were two options presented: extracting the uranium from Iran or diluting it on location.
"The first question is, where is it? The second question is, how do we get to it and how do we get physical control?" The official said.
The final decision, once US forces had control of the uranium, the official added, would be made by the president, the War Department, and the CIA.
Iran could make 11 nuclear bombs in weeks
According to Axios, the Iranian regime is suspected to possess 450 kg of 60%-enriched uranium, which could be enough material for 11 nuclear bombs within only a few weeks.
Officials also told Axios that another decision being considered is whether to seize Kharg Island, which is responsible for the majority of Iran's crude oil exports.