Press TV: Failed US Operation in Iran Aimed at Nuclear Site

By Al Mayadeen English

Source: Press TV

A report citing informed sources outlines a covert US operation in central Iran, including disputed objectives, military losses, and high-level decision-making ahead of the mission.

On April 5, US forces conducted what officials claimed was a “rapid rescue operation” following the downing of an F-15E Strike Eagle over central Iran. The mission, which involved special operations aviation assets including MC-130J Commando II aircraft, was carried out deep inside Iranian territory, with activity concentrated around Isfahan, an area of high strategic sensitivity due to its proximity to key elements of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, namely enriched uranium. 

In a related development, new evidence emerged regarding the failed US operation, Press TV reported, citing sources informed on the matter.

A senior security official told Press TV that the operation’s “zero hour” was determined during a closed-door meeting at the White House, overseen directly by then US President Donald Trump.

The source rejected assertions that the mission was linked to the rescue of a downed fighter pilot, instead stressing that available evidence points to a plan aimed at infiltrating and targeting a nuclear facility in the Isfahan region.

Wider context

The report further stated that, based on reconnaissance missions, a landing zone for C-130 aircraft had been identified in advance at an abandoned airstrip near one of the area’s nuclear installations.

US planners misjudged, according to the source, Iran’s air defense capabilities, assuming they would be unable to effectively counter the aircraft involved in the operation. However, the report emphasized that multiple aircraft were lost during reconnaissance and infiltration efforts leading up to the mission. These reportedly included at least one A-10 aircraft and two Black Hawk helicopters, with possible involvement by Israeli occupation forces also suggested.

The account also noted that several US military generals, who were later dismissed, had issued strong warnings to the defense secretary about the risks associated with the operation. Despite these concerns, the report said the mission proceeded, attributing the decision to a combination of presidential insistence and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's limited military experience. The generals were reportedly sacked from their positions just days before the operation was launched.

Uranium heist: Failed US operation aimed to seize Iran's stockpiles?

The operation's true objectives have been questioned by Tehran, suggesting it may have extended beyond an attempt to extract a pilot.

Speaking on the incident, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the “American operation failed miserably," adding that Iranian forces had effectively countered the attempt, drawing parallels to Operation Eagle Claw, the failed US mission in Tabas.

Iran questions US narrative, raises uranium concerns

Baghaei pointed to inconsistencies in the US account of the operation, particularly regarding the location where American aircraft landed in Isfahan.

“The point where US aircraft landed in Isfahan is very far from the location they claimed was the hiding place of the downed pilot,” he said, referring to the area of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad province.

He added that “there is a possibility that cannot be ruled out” that the US operation in southern Isfahan was part of a plan to steal Iran’s enriched uranium, rather than being solely a rescue mission.

The spokesperson further stressed that the operation constituted a “blatant violation of Iranian sovereignty," describing it as a “catastrophic scandal” for Washington.

Failed operation underscores Iranian response

Baghaei said Iranian forces and local populations played a key role in thwarting the operation, emphasizing that “when Iran’s sovereignty is targeted, all Iranians stand united.”

He also highlighted the role of local tribes, particularly from the Lur community, in countering the incursion.

The Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) had earlier stated that it confronted and neutralized hostile aerial targets during a failed US operation inside Iranian territory. At least two MC-130J Commando II aircraft operated by US special forces, in addition to a number of helicopters, were destroyed.

According to US military data, each MC-130J aircraft deployed in the operation carries a price tag exceeding $100 million. The MC-130J is specifically designed for high-risk missions, including the insertion and extraction of special operations forces in hostile environments, and features advanced defensive systems to counter sophisticated air defenses.

Iran’s enriched uranium program has remained a focal point for US President Donald Trump, who continues to seek a political and strategic win after multiple setbacks in achieving significant objectives in Iran.