New Delhi, March 8 -- The United States and Israel are in active discussions about deploying special operations forces into Iran to physically secure or destroy its stockpile of highly enriched uranium - a mission that would place troops on Iranian soil in the middle of a live war, navigate heavily fortified underground facilities, and potentially involve scientists from the International Atomic Energy Agency operating under fire.

The discussions, first reported by Axios citing four officials with knowledge of the deliberations, represent the most significant escalation in strategic planning since the US-Israel strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities last June. At the heart of the operation is 450 kilograms of 60%-enriched uranium, material...