NEW YORk (VINnews) — In recent days, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly emphasized the central argument behind his decision to strike Iran: that Tehran was on the verge of obtaining nuclear weapons and planned to use them against Israel and the United States “within an hour or a day.”

However, behind these statements lies a critical dilemma. According to a report and analysis published by The New York Times, the U.S. president is considering ordering a dramatic and highly unusual mission to seize or destroy Iran’s nuclear material, most of which is stored in deep underground facilities in Isfahan.

Such a move would be considered one of the boldest and most dangerous military operations in modern American history, more complex and risky even than the killing of Osama bin Laden. No one knows for certain where all the nuclear fuel is located; some of it may be in damaged facilities in Fordow and Natanz or in tunnel complexes known as “Pickaxe Mountain.” Striking storage containers could release toxic and radioactive gas, while dangerous proximity between materials could potentially trigger a nuclear chain reaction.

Despite this, Trump told reporters he is not afraid of a ground operation: “I’m really not afraid of anything.” His Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has already clarified in Congress that such a mission would require special forces to enter and physically “retrieve it.”

According to United States Intelligence Community, as cited by the New York Times, the initial intelligence picture differed from the president’s claims. Before the outbreak of the war and the joint U.S.-Israel strike on February 28, most senior intelligence officials believed there was no immediate risk of Iran breaking out to a nuclear bomb. However, after 18 days of bombardment that destroyed much of Tehran’s missile capabilities, the nuclear material has become the regime’s last line of defense.

Experts estimate that U.S. special forces, who have trained for years for such a scenario, would face an unprecedented system and thousands of decoy containers designed to confuse them.

The immense complications surrounding a ground operation could ultimately push the Trump administration back to the negotiating table. Just last month, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, proposed diluting all nuclear material to civilian levels under international supervision. However, the U.S. negotiating team, led by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, rejected the proposal and demanded that Iran retain no fuel stockpiles at all.

It now remains to be seen whether Trump will choose the dangerous military option to ensure full denuclearization.