As US President Trump once again claims that he will reach an agreement with Iran, CNN reported that the U.S. military had urgently prepared for a ground operation to seize Iranian uranium enrichment facilities, but this plan was halted by Trump.
On June 13th, CNN quoted analysts saying that if the US military launches ground operations to seize enriched uranium, Iran's retaliatory actions could have a “catastrophic” impact on the global economy.
Two sources familiar with the matter revealed that Dan Kane, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, secretly and urgently visited the U.S. Central Command headquarters in Florida at the end of last month to receive briefings regarding the U.S. military's deployment of ground forces into Iran and the forced seizure of high-enriched uranium programs.
A source close to the matter indicated that Kain subsequently briefed Trump on possible options for such actions.
However, after being informed that this move was highly likely to provoke strong retaliation from Iran, prolong the war, and cause further turmoil in the global economy, Trump suspended the plan. According to people familiar with the matter, Trump also expressed concerns about the possibility of heavy civilian casualties among US military personnel as a result of this action.
On June 22, 2025, local time, the Furdos nuclear facility in Iran, which had been targeted by US air strikes. Visual China
Three people familiar with the matter said that if negotiations between the United States and Iran collapse and war breaks out again, Iran is prepared to resort to an economic “nuclear strike” measure—forcing its main ally in Yemen, the Houthi forces, to block the Strait of Mandeb.
The Strait of Mandeb is a strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It serves as a "gateway" to the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Indian Oceans, and is known as the "waterway" connecting the three continents of Europe, Asia, and Africa. During Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the importance of the Strait of Mandeb becomes even more apparent.
According to reports, US intelligence assessments warn that if the US military carries out ground operations in Iran to obtain enriched uranium, the economic damage caused by the closure of the Maldi Strait could be catastrophic for the global economy.
After the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, Houthi forces have repeatedly warned of blocking the Hormuz Strait.
A source familiar with the latest US intelligence assessments told CNN that the Houla militant group has not resumed its large-scale attacks on American and European ships. However, they have stated that any ship flying the Israeli flag or owned by Israelis is a legitimate target for their attacks. If the Houla militant group expands the scope of potential targets beyond Israeli ships, it would mean a serious escalation of the situation.
According to the source, Iran has so far remained restrained and has not allowed the Houthi militia to take this step because they know that this could undermine the ongoing peace negotiations.
But if the efforts to reach an agreement between the US and Iran fail, and the US resumes full-scale military operations against Iran, this remains a card that Iran can play. It’s worth noting that Trump has always been cautious about resuming full-scale military action.
The aforementioned source also stated that the strength of Iran’s conventional military has been significantly reduced. If Trump orders the forced seizure of Iran’s enriched uranium, the greatest risks for the US military could come from land-based, air-based, and shoulder-fired missiles deployed in the tunnels where nuclear materials are stored. It is reported that Iran also retains a considerable stock of drones and ballistic missiles.
Kane and other US military leaders have expressed concerns about the scale, complexity of potential military operations against Iran, as well as the possible casualties among US troops. Before the US begins hostilities against Iran, Kane and other senior officials in the Pentagon warned that prolonged military operations would severely impact the US military's weaponry and combat readiness.
CNN reported that Trump had previously made statements about seizing Iran’s enriched uranium. At the White House earlier this month, he told reporters that the United States could obtain Iran’s enriched uranium without needing to reach an agreement with Iran. “If we want to do so, I don’t think they can stop us, but there’s no need for that. Those materials have been buried and sealed away,” said Trump.
According to Trump at that time, the United States had the ability to obtain enriched uranium from Iran. However, on the 11th, he said, “No one can get close to it, because that substance is buried deep underground.”
