Experts interviewed by the New York Post said a US military operation to seize or eliminate Iran’s enriched uranium could become necessary if diplomatic efforts fail, describing it as an unprecedented and highly complex special operations mission.

The proposed operation would combine thousands of conventional troops with elite special forces to secure Iran’s nuclear sites before specialized teams recover or destroy nuclear material, while maintaining control of airspace and defending against Iranian counterattacks.

Joseph Rodgers of the Center for Strategic and International Studies said open-weight military planning suggests such a mission would surpass previous special operations in complexity, requiring engineers to breach damaged facilities and logistics teams to transport nuclear material safely.

Iran has reportedly fortified sites such as Isfahan with mines, explosives and defensive positions in anticipation of a raid, while Pickaxe Mountain has emerged as a potential target after reports that centrifuges were relocated there.

Former White House National Security Council official Richard Goldberg said operations at Pickaxe would likely focus on collapsing the underground facility if intelligence indicates airstrikes alone cannot destroy it.