Trending Now - Trump Weighs Options on Iran's Nuclear Material Amid Tensions

WHO:

President Trump

Karoline Leavitt, White House Press Secretary

Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA Director General

David Albright, nuclear expert and head of the Institute for Science and International Security

U.S. Navy officials

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, 190,000 troops strong

WHAT:

President Trump is considering sending American forces into Iran to seize nuclear material.

The Pentagon has prepared multiple options for potential next steps in the Iran war.

The International Atomic Energy Agency reported that it could not account for an estimated 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium in Iran.

Trump stated, "I have a lot of decisions to make."

Trump expressed uncertainty about whether Iran has begun laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

A British Maritime Security agency reported 15 attacks in the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the mission.

At least 16 oil tankers, cargo ships, and other commercial vessels have been attacked.

The U.S. Navy has decommissioned some ships designed to counter mines and has no plans to recommission them.

WHERE:

Iran

Strait of Hormuz

Middle East

WHEN:

March 18th, 2026

Last summer (2025), U.S. military strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran.

Reports of attacks on tankers occurred on Wednesday and Thursday (March 11th and 12th, 2026).

WHY:

Trump believes Iran's military assets are degraded but is concerned about their capability to disrupt oil shipping.

The White House is uncertain about the current Iranian leadership structure, described as a "rogue" situation.

HOW:

Satellite imagery shows Iran has covered tunnel entrances to nuclear sites with dirt, complicating military operations.

The U.S. Navy's current surface platform for counter-mine warfare is the Littoral Combat Ship equipped with mine countermeasures.

The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff explained that stopping oil shipments could be as simple as one Iranian soldier using a missile against a tanker.

(UPDATED March 18, 2026 21:11 UTC)

Today, President Trump is weighing the option of deploying American forces into Iran to secure nuclear materials, as the Pentagon has developed various strategies for potential actions in the ongoing conflict. The International Atomic Energy Agency has reported a troubling inability to account for around 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium in Iran, while recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have raised concerns about the safety of oil shipping in the region. Trump noted that he has many decisions to make, emphasizing the uncertainty surrounding Iran's military capabilities and leadership, as satellite imagery reveals that Iran has obscured nuclear site entrances, complicating any military response.