消息人士稱，去獲取伊朗的高濃縮鈾需要美國投入大量地面部隊

Recently CNN.com reported the following:

Capturing Iran’s highly enriched uranium would require a large US ground force, sources say

CNN - By Natasha Bertrand, Zachary Cohen, Haley Britzky, Avery Schmitz

10 Mar 2026

Recovering Iran’s remaining highly enriched uranium stockpile believed to be sitting in a storage facility deep underground, an objective the Trump administration has been discussing, would require a significant number of US ground troops beyond a small special operations footprint, seven current and former officials familiar with the military planning told CNN.

The US bombing campaign that struck three Iranian nuclear facilities last June did not destroy all of that country’s highly enriched uranium stockpile, the material needed to create a nuclear weapon. Much of it is believed to be at Iran’s Isfahan nuclear site, said three of the sources. President Donald Trump has made complete elimination of Iran’s nuclear capability one of his stated aims of the war.

If the Trump administration went ahead with an operation to retrieve the uranium, it could mark the first major commitment of US ground forces as part of the campaign, an escalation that would put a large number of troops in harm’s way as part of a complex mission to move or render safe tons of highly radioactive material.

The uranium at Isfahan is accessible to the Iranians, who had been working for months after the US military strikes last year to clear the rubble of the facility’s aboveground structures and access the underground tunnels where the uranium was hidden, two of the sources said. UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday that around 200 kilograms of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is probably still at Isfahan, with some also at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility.

Highly enriched uranium is a dual-use material, and Iran has said it produces it only for peaceful energy purposes. But enriching it above a certain threshold — around 90% —means it can be used to create nuclear weapons. Iran’s uranium is currently enriched at around 60%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The White House and Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment ahead of publication.

Trump has repeatedly said that Iran can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapons program. “One thing is certain: I will never allow the world’s number one sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon,” he said last month.

‘The logistics and risk involved would be prohibitive’

US military airstrikes alone can’t penetrate the Isfahan tunnels, primarily because the facility does not have ventilation shaft openings like some of Iran’s other nuclear sites, which serve as weak points for a storage structure. That has led to discussions within the Trump administration about deploying elite units within the US military’s Joint Special Operations Command, potentially in coordination with Israeli commando forces, to physically infiltrate the tunnels and secure or destroy the enriched uranium, the sources said.

A mission like that, however, would require dozens if not hundreds of additional troops on the ground to help support the core special operations team tasked with finding the uranium, the sources said, particularly given the Iranian military’s continued control over the sites and surrounding area. That support could entail not just troops to secure the area, but also logistical support given the challenges of working with nuclear material deep underground.

Delta Force and Seal Team 6 operators receive training in countering weapons of mass destruction, and US Special Operations Command has been the lead group for the Pentagon’s counter-WMD mission for nearly a decade. Several elements of the US government also have teams that are designated “render safe units” that can handle radiological material, one of the sources said. JSOC also has contingency plans to either “render safe” the material underground and/or render the facility unusable.

One retired special forces officer not involved in the planning told CNN that in their experience, a mission like this would probably require a tier one special operations unit; specialized explosive ordnance disposal personnel attached to that team; outer security which could be either the 75th Ranger Regiment or the 82nd Airborne Division depending on how large the area is and how many people are needed; exfiltration and infiltration assets like MC-130J aircraft or MH-47 Chinook helicopters; and consistent air cover overhead throughout the mission.

“The logistics and risk involved would be prohibitive, to say the least,” said one person familiar with the discussions.

In a sign that the US could be keeping its options open, at least six MC-130Js are now flying out of RAF Mildenhall in the United Kingdom, according to flight data and satellite imagery reviewed by CNN, positioning them closer to Iran if called upon.

These variants of the C-130 cargo plane are specially equipped to support covert infiltration and exfiltration of US commandos into hostile environments.

A satellite image captured over the airbase on March 5 appears to show several MC-130Js parked on the tarmac.

Three of the six aircraft identified are newly arrived to RAF Mildenhall, having flown in from across Europe in recent weeks. Three others have been based out of RAF Mildenhall for months.

The same dataset suggests nearly every aircraft has participated in training missions over the United Kingdom and North Sea in recent weeks.

The Iranian regime, meanwhile, is proving resilient in the face of relentless US-Israeli airstrikes. Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, has been installed as Iran’s new ayatollah — a signal that Iran’s leadership has no intention of folding to American pressure.

Without the outright collapse of the regime, some level of diplomatic engagement rather than just sheer military power will likely be required to eliminate Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile, multiple sources said.

Translation

消息人士稱，去獲取伊朗的高濃縮鈾需要美國投入大量地面部隊

根據七位熟悉軍事計劃的現任和前任官員向 CNN 透露，特朗普政府一直在討論獲取相信存放在地下深處的儲存設施中的伊朗剩餘高濃縮鈾庫存，但這需要投入大量美國地面部隊，遠非小型特種作戰部隊所能及。

去年六月，美國對伊朗三處核設施的轟炸並未摧毀該國全部的高濃縮鈾庫存，而這些高濃縮鈾是製造核武所需的材料。三位消息人士稱，據信其中大部分仍存放在伊朗伊斯法罕(Isfahan) 核設施。特朗普總統已將徹底消除伊朗的核能力列為此次戰爭的設定目標之一。

如特朗普政府真的啟動奪取鈾的行動，這可能標誌著美國地面部隊會首次大規模參與這項行動，事態升級意味著大量士兵將身陷險境，執行一項複雜的任務，即轉移或安全處置數噸高放射性物質。 

兩名消息人士稱，伊朗方面可以接觸到伊斯法罕的鈾。在去年美軍空襲之後，伊朗方面已經進行了數月的清理工作，以清除該設施地上建築的廢墟，並進入藏匿鈾的地下隧道。聯合國核子監督機構負責人拉斐爾·格羅西(Rafael Grossi)周一表示，伊朗約有200公斤高濃縮鈾可能仍在伊斯法罕，部分可能也藏在伊朗納坦茲(Natanz)核設施。

高濃縮鈾是一種兩用材料，伊朗方面表示，其生產高濃縮鈾僅用於和平能源用途。但將鈾濃縮至一定門檻以上 - 大約90% - 就意味著它可以用來製造核武。據國際原子能總署稱，伊朗目前的鈾濃縮度約為60%。

白宮和五角大廈在本文發表前未有回應置評請求。

特朗普曾多次表示，絕不允許伊朗計劃去擁有核武。他上個月說：“有一點是肯定的：我絕對不會允許這個世界頭號恐怖主義贊助者 - 無疑他們是 - 擁有核武器。”

“所涉及的後勤和風險將令人望而卻步”

僅靠美軍空襲無法突破伊斯法罕的地道，主要原因是該設施不像伊朗其他一些核設施那樣設有通風井口，而通風井口是儲存結構的弱點。消息人士稱，這引發了特朗普政府內部關於部署美軍聯合特種作戰司令部精銳部隊的討論，可能與以色列特種部隊協調行動，以滲透隧道並獲取或銷毀濃縮鈾。

消息人士還表示，鑑於伊朗軍方持續控制這些地點及其周邊地區，此類任務需要數十甚至數百名地面增援部隊來支援負責搜尋鈾的核心特種作戰小組。這種支援不僅包括確保區域安全的部隊，還包括後勤保護，因為在地下深處處理核子材料極具挑戰性。

三角洲部隊和海豹突擊隊第六分隊的隊員接受過應對大規模殺傷性武器的訓練，而美國特種作戰司令部近十年來一直是五角大廈反大規模殺傷性武器任務的領導單位。其中一位消息人士稱，美國政府的多個部門也設有專門處理放射性物質的「安全處置小組」。聯合特種作戰司令部（JSOC）也制定了應急計劃，以令到藏於地下物質「安全化」，及/或使該設施無法再被使用。

一位未參與計劃制定的退役特種部隊軍官告訴CNN，根據他們的經驗，此類任務可能需要一支一級特種作戰部隊；一支配備專業爆炸物處理人員的隊伍；外圍安保力量，根據區域大小和所需人員數量去出動第75遊騎兵團或第82空降師；撤離和滲透裝備，如 MC-130J 飛機或 MH-47 Chinook直升機；以及在整個任務期間持續的空中掩護。

一位熟悉討論內容的人士稱：“毫不誇張地說，其中涉及的後勤保障和風險是難以承受的。”

CNN查閱的飛行數據和衛星圖像顯示，至少有六架MC-130J運輸機目前正從英國米爾登霍爾 (Mildenhall)皇家空軍基地起飛，在需要部署時可以更能靠近伊朗的位置，這表明美國可能仍在保留各種選項。

這些C-130運輸機的衍生機種都經過特殊改裝，能夠支援美國特種部隊秘密滲透至敵對環境和撤離。

3月5日拍攝的一張空軍基地衛星影像顯示，數架MC-130J飛機停放在停機坪上。

已識別的六架飛機中有三架是最近幾週從歐洲各地飛往米爾登霍爾皇家空軍基地的。另外三架已在米爾登霍爾皇家空軍基地駐紮數月。

同一資料集顯示，幾乎所有飛機最近幾週都參與了在英國和北海上空的訓練任務。

同時，伊朗政權面對美以持續不斷的空襲時，展現了強大的韌性。前最高領袖哈梅內伊的次子穆傑塔巴·哈梅內伊(Mojtaba Khamenei)已被任命為伊朗新任最高領袖 - 這表明伊朗領導層無意屈服於美國的壓力。

多位消息人士稱，在伊朗政權徹底崩潰之前，要摧毀伊朗的濃縮鈾庫存，可能需要採取一定程度的外交手段，而不僅僅是依靠軍事力量。

So, the US bombing campaign that struck three Iranian nuclear facilities last June had not destroyed all the enriched uranium stockpile. That has led to discussions within the Trump administration about deploying US elite units, potentially in coordination with Israeli commando forces, to physically infiltrate the tunnels and secure or destroy the enriched uranium. A mission like that, however, would require dozens if not hundreds of additional troops to operate at a location controlled by the Iranian military. It seems that without a regime change in Iran, diplomatic engagement will likely be required to eliminate Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile. Apparent, Trump has not yet finished his job and let’s wait and see what Trump will do next.

「六十秒，就這麼簡單」：以色列與美國合作的精準行動刺殺哈梅內伊（2/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

‘Sixty seconds, that’s all it took’: the clinical Israeli-US operation to kill Ali Khamenei (2/2)

Mission that took just one minute to carry out was decades in making, but experts say it could be major strategic error

 US-Israel war on Iran – live updates

The Guardian - Jason Burke in Jerusalem

Sun 1 Mar 2026 14.27 EST

(continue)

The Mossad, an abbreviation of the Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations in Hebrew, has been focused on Iran for decades, and has built deep networks of informants, agents and logistics there. This has allowed a series of operations including the assassination with a remote-controlled automatic machine gun of a top Iranian nuclear scientist travelling at speed in a car on a remote road, the infection with malware of computers running key parts of Iran’s nuclear programme and the theft of an archive of nuclear documents. The political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in 2024 with a bomb placed in his favorite room in a government guesthouse in Tehran.

During the 12-day war in June, Israeli agents managed to identify the homes of Iranian nuclear scientists, intelligence officials and military commanders – information that allowed dozens to be killed in a first wave of surprise attacks.

Melman said the Mossad had made a key change of strategy almost 20 years ago, deciding to recruit local agents within Iran who were given state-of-the-art equipment and high levels of training.

David Barnea, who has led the Mossad since 2021, built a special department for a “foreign legion” of agents who have been deployed across the Middle East on sensitive missions.

Such agents were easier to recruit in Iran, where many people were opposed to the ruling regime, than elsewhere, Melman said.

Israel was poised to assassinate Khamenei last year, but Trump was reluctant to risk regional escalation and the reaction of allies concerned by the killing of a head of state. Such reservations appear to have disappeared in the months since the brief conflict last year, which ended shortly after US bombers attacked Iranian nuclear facilities.

Israeli military officials said there had since been “really very enhanced cooperation” between Israel and the US on Iran.

The flow of information from the Mossad’s networks on the ground in Iran would have been merged last week with intelligence gathered through communications intercepted by the US.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if they locked on to a variety of means to track [Khamenei],” said Gerecht. “The Iranians are pretty sloppy. They love their phones. So maybe the supreme leader had a stack of burner phones but it’s about people he was calling regularly.”

Finally, information would have been fed through to the US and Israeli militaries to allow precise targeting information to be compiled and the orders to be given for that brief but deadly and destructive minute.

“Sixty seconds. That’s all it took for this operation, but it is the product of years in the making,” said Oded Ailam, a former head of the Mossad’s counter-terrorism division and a researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs. “The modern battlefield is no longer defined only by tanks and aircraft. It is defined by data, access, trust and timing. One minute can change a region.”

The CIA veteran said they believed the assassination was a mistake: “I think it was the wrong thing to do. Not from an ethical perspective – I have been fine with killing people, a lot of them in fact – but from a long-term strategic perspective.

“I know that when you take out someone’s leader you don’t solve the problem. You just create a new one.”

Translation

「六十秒，就這麼簡單」：以色列與美國合作的精準行動刺殺哈梅內伊（2/2）

這項僅用一分鐘就完成的任務，籌劃了數十年，但專家表示，這可能是個重大的策略失誤。

（繼續）

摩薩德(Mossad) ，即希伯來語「情報與特種作戰研究所」的縮寫，數十年來一直將目光聚焦在伊朗，並在伊朗建立了龐大的線人、特工和後勤網絡。這使得摩薩德得以實施一系列行動，包括用遙控自動機槍暗殺一名在偏僻道路上高速行駛的伊朗頂級核科學家、用惡意軟體感染運行伊朗核計劃關鍵部分的計算機，以及竊取一份核文件檔案。哈馬斯政治領袖伊斯梅爾·哈尼亞(Ismail Haniyeh)於2024年在德黑蘭一家政府招待所內他最喜歡的房間裡被炸彈暗殺。

在6月份為期12天的戰爭中，以色列特工成功鎖定了伊朗核科學家、情報官員和軍事指揮官的住所 - 這項訊息使以色列得以在第一波突襲中殺死數十人。

Melman表示，摩薩德在近20年前做出了關鍵戰略調整，決定在伊朗境內招募本地特工，並為他們配備最先進的裝備和高水準的訓練。

自2021年起擔任摩薩德局長的David Barnea建立了一個專門負責「外籍軍團」特工的部門，這些特工已被部署到中東各地執行敏感任務。

Melman說，在伊朗招募這類特工比在其他地方更容易，因為伊朗國內許多人反對執政政權。

去年，以色列曾準備暗殺哈梅內伊，但特朗普不願冒著地區局勢升級的風險，也不願承受盟友對暗殺國家元首的擔憂。自去年短暫衝突結束以來，這種顧慮似乎已經消失。那場衝突在美國轟炸機攻擊伊朗核設施後不久便結束。

以色列軍方官員表示，此後以色列和美國在伊朗問題上的合作「確實得到了極大的加強」。

上週，來自摩薩德在伊朗地面網路的資訊流與美國截獲的通訊情報進行了整合。

Gerecht說: 「如果他們利用各種手段追蹤[哈梅內伊]，我不會感到驚訝」; 「伊朗人做事相當馬虎。他們很喜歡用手機。所以，最高領袖可能有一堆一次性手機，但關鍵在於他經常聯繫的人」。

最終，相關訊息會傳遞給美國和以色列軍方，以編纂精確的目標資訊，並下達命令，執行那短暫但致命且具毀滅性的一分鐘打擊。

前摩薩德反恐部門負責人、耶路撒冷安全與外交事務中心研究員Oded Ailam說道: 「僅僅60秒。這次行動只花了這麼短的時間，但它卻是多年籌備的結果」;「現代戰場不再僅僅由坦克和飛機定義，它由數據、資訊獲取管道、信任和時機所決定。一分鐘就能改變一個地區」。

這位中情局老兵表示，他認為這次暗殺是個錯誤：「我認為這是錯的。不是從道德角度出發 - 我並不反對殺人，事實上，我殺過很多人 - 而是從長遠的戰略角度來看」。

“我知道，除掉一個領導人並不能解決問題，只會製造新的問題。”

              So, the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the culmination of decades of painstaking intelligence gathering by Israeli secret services. One objective of the attack by Israel and the US is to motivate a regime change in Tehran, another objective is to stop Iran to build its nuclear arsenal. While it is quite likely that when you take out someone’s leader you don’t solve the problem as it may just create a new one, the concrete immediate benefit of this attack is that Iran will need some time to restart its nucleus program. Apparent, this attack shows that the 21^st century battlefield is less defined by tanks and aircraft and more by missiles, drones, and all kinds of intelligence works plus data analysis and good timing. 

「六十秒，就這麼簡單」：以色列與美國合作的精準行動刺殺哈梅內伊（1/2）

Recently the Guardian reported the following:

‘Sixty seconds, that’s all it took’: the clinical Israeli-US operation to kill Ali Khamenei (1/2)

Mission that took just one minute to carry out was decades in making, but experts say it could be major strategic error

 US-Israel war on Iran – live updates

The Guardian - Jason Burke in Jerusalem

Sun 1 Mar 2026 14.27 EST

The assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was the culmination of decades of painstaking intelligence gathering by Israeli secret services, with crucial technological resources and manpower provided over the last six months by the CIA and other US intelligence services, which culminated in a single concentrated burst of lethal violence to decapitate the Iranian regime, according to experts, veteran spies and officials in Israel and the US.

Khamenei was killed along with seven “members of the top Iranian security leadership who had gathered at several locations in Tehran” and about a dozen members of his family and close entourage in near-simultaneous strikes within 60 seconds, military officials in Israel said. Forty other senior Iranian leaders also died in the attack.

The killing of Khamenei, 86, opened the air offensive launched this weekend by Israel and the US in an effort to overthrow the radical clerical regime in Tehran, plunging the Middle East into renewed chaos and violence.

Some experts and intelligence veterans, however, described a possible strategic error that could alienate potential supporters or open the way for more radical opponents in the future.

“The problem is that Israel is in love with assassinations … and we never learn that it is not the solution. We have killed all the leaders of Hamas. They are still there. It’s the same with Hezbollah. The leaders are always replaced,” said Yossi Melman, a respected Israeli analyst and author specialising in intelligence.

Israel has a long history of conducting assassinations overseas, but has never before killed a head of state.

Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israel’s military intelligence service, said the strike was “a tactical surprise, an operational surprise” because the general expectation was that Israel would attack in darkness, replicating the surprise strike which opened the 12-day war in June.

The timing of the assassination was determined by information the CIA gleaned about a meeting of top Iranian officials at a leadership compound in the heart of Tehran scheduled for Saturday morning. Most critically, the CIA was able to tell Israeli counterparts that Khamenei would be at the site and the timing of the meeting, according to the New York Times.

Israeli spies had also been tracking Khamenei for many years, building a minutely detailed file on his daily routine and those of his family members, associates, allies and those charged with keeping him safe.

“It’s like a giant jigsaw puzzle. You are putting all these scraps of information together. Where you don’t have [reliable data] you look further into those. It will be everything: how do they get food, what happens to their trash … We all get up and go to bed, we all eat and drink,” said a former CIA veteran with decades of experience in tracking high-profile terrorist targets.

“We are in a world where information and data is so multi-layered that there is no one who doesn’t leave some kind of trail. Everything you do leaves a print.”

Reuel Gerecht, a former CIA targeting officer who worked on Iran and an analyst at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, said the US would have been able to bring significant technological assets into play, though it was Israel that had built the networks of agents on the ground capable of supplying human intelligence and carrying out covert operations within Iran.

Gerecht said reports in the Israeli media that a photograph of Khamenei’s remains were shown to Donald Trump and Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, were plausible.

“The technological capacity of the US is extremely impressive and the tech does matter a lot, but I don’t think that the [CIA] had a lot to bring to the table in terms of [human intelligence] or covert action networks,” he said.

“If you combine the technological capacity with the networks on the ground that would certainly amplify its effectiveness.”

(to be continued)

Translation

「六十秒，就這麼簡單」：以色列與美國合作的精準行動刺殺哈梅內伊（1/2）

這項僅用一分鐘完成的任務，籌劃了數十年，但專家表示，這可能是個重大的戰略失誤。

據以色列和美國的專家、資深間諜和官員稱，刺殺伊朗最高領袖哈梅內伊，是以色列情報機構數十年來艱苦卓絕的情報收集工作的最終成果。在過去六個月裡，美國中央情報局和其他情報機構提供了關鍵的技術資源和人力，最終促成了這次集中而致命的暴力行動，旨在剷除伊朗政權。

以色列軍方官員稱，哈梅內伊與七名「聚集在德黑蘭各處的伊朗高級安全領導人」以及約十幾名他的家人和隨行人員在60秒內幾乎同時遭到空襲身亡。另有四十名伊朗高階領導人也在攻擊中喪生。

86歲的哈梅內伊遇害，拉開了以色列和美國本週末發起的空襲的序幕，這場空襲旨在推翻德黑蘭的激進神權政權，空襲使中東再次陷入混亂和暴力之中。

然而，一些專家和資深情報人員指出，這可能是戰略失誤，可能會疏遠潛在的支持者，或為未來更激進的反對派打開方便之門。

以色列著名情報分析家兼作家Yossi Melman說道。「問題在於以色列熱衷於暗殺……而我們始終不明白，暗殺並非解決之道。我們殺死了哈馬斯的所有領導人，但他們依然存在。真主黨也是如此，領導人總是會被替換」。

以色列在海外進行暗殺行動由來已久，但此前從未暗殺國家元首。

以色列前軍事情報局局長Amos Yadlin表示，此次襲擊是“一次戰術上的突襲，一次行動上的出其不意”，因為人們普遍預期以色列會在夜間發動襲擊，重演6月份那場開啟12天戰爭的突襲行動。

這次暗殺行動的時機是由美國中央情報局根據先前掌握的情報確定的，情報顯示，伊朗高級官員將於週六上午在德黑蘭市中心的一處領導人住所舉行會議。根據《紐約時報》報道，最關鍵的是，中央情報局能夠提前告知以色列方面哈梅內伊將出席會議地點以及會議時間。

以色列間諜多年來一直在追蹤哈梅內伊，建立了一份極其詳盡的檔案，記錄著他及其家人、同僚、盟友以及負責保護他的人的日常生活。

一位在中央情報局工作數十年、擁有追踪資深恐怖分子目標經驗的資深人士說道:「這就像一個巨大的拼圖遊戲。你要把所有這些零碎的信息拼湊起來。對於沒有可靠數據的地方，你要進一步調查。這涵蓋方方面面：他們如何獲取食物，他們的垃圾如何處理……我們每天都要起床睡覺，都要吃飯喝水」。

“我們身處一個資訊和數據那麼大量疊加的世界，令沒有人能不留任何痕跡。你做的每一件事都會留下印記。”

曾任中央情報局（CIA）伊朗問題目標定位官員、現任保衛民主基金會分析師的Reuel Gerecht表示，美國本可以投入大量技術資源，但以色列才是建立起在伊朗境內提供人力情報並開展秘密行動的特工網絡的人。

Gerecht稱，以色列媒體報道稱，特朗普和以色列總理內塔尼亞胡曾看過哈梅內伊遺體的照片的說法是可信的。

他說:「美國的技術能力令人印象深刻，技術的確至關重要，但我認為（CIA）在 [人力情報]或秘密行動網絡方面並沒有太多貢獻」。

“如果將技術能力與實地網絡相結合，無疑會大大提升行動的有效性。”

（待續）

Japan's First Clinical Study of “Exosomes” for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

Recently NHK News on-line reported the following:

変形性ひざ関節症の治療に「エクソソーム」 国内初臨床研究

2026年2月17日午後6時42分

医療・健康

50歳以上の2人に1人がなるとされる「変形性ひざ関節症」の治療に、組織の再生を促す働きがあるとされる「エクソソーム」という物質が有効かを確かめる国内初の臨床研究を、神奈川県にある病院の研究グループが始めました。

これは神奈川県鎌倉市にある徳洲会湘南鎌倉総合病院の研究グループが、17日会見を開いて発表しました。

変形性ひざ関節症は加齢でひざの軟骨がすり減るなどして、変形や炎症が起きる病気で、国内の患者は50歳以上では2人に1人の割合とされています。

グループは、この病気の治療にエクソソームという物質が有効かを確かめる臨床研究を始め、ヒトの細胞の培養液から採取したエクソソームを1例目の患者に投与したと明らかにしました。

エクソソームは細胞から分泌される物質で、動物実験で軟骨を修復したと報告されるなど、組織の再生を促す働きがあるとされています。

美容などを目的に自由診療で提供するクリニックが増えていますが、グループによりますと、科学的に効果を確認する臨床研究は国内で初めてだということです。

ことし中に5人の患者に投与して安全性を確認するほか、痛みが治まるかやひざが動かしやすくなるかを評価するということです。

湘南鎌倉総合病院の小林修三院長は「高齢者の暮らしに大きく影響する病気なので、今回の研究をきっかけに多くの患者に応用できるようにしたい」と話していました。

Translation

Japan's First Clinical Study of “Exosomes” for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

February 17, 2026, 6:42 PM

Medicine & Health

A research group at a hospital in Kanagawa Prefecture had begun Japan's first clinical study to test whether “exosomes”, a substance believed to promote tissue regeneration, were effective in treating “knee osteoarthritis”, a condition that was estimated to affect one in two people over the age of 50.

This was announced at a press conference on the 17th by a research group at Tokushukai Shonan Kamakura General Hospital (徳洲会湘南鎌倉総合病院) in Kamakura City (鎌倉市), Kanagawa Prefecture(神奈川県).

Knee osteoarthritis was a disease that caused deformation and inflammation due to the wear and tear of knee cartilage because of aging. It was estimated that in Japan one in two people over the age of 50 suffered from this condition.

The group had begun clinical research to test whether exosomes were effective in treating this disease, and announced that they had administered exosomes extracted from human cell culture medium to the first patient.

Exosomes were substances secreted by cells that were believed to have the ability to promote tissue regeneration, as shown by reports that they could repair cartilage in animal experiments.

While there were an increasing number of clinics offering this treatment for cosmetic purposes, etc., but according to the group, this was the first clinical study in Japan to scientifically confirm their effectiveness.

The drug would be administered to five patients this year to confirm its safety, and to evaluate whether it relieved pain and made knee movement easier.

Shonan Kamakura General Hospital Director Shuzo Kobayashi (小林修三) said, "This is a disease that has a major impact on the lives of the elderly, I hope that this research will inspire this application to many patients. "

So, Japan has begun its first clinical study to test whether “exosomes”, a substance believed to promote tissue regeneration are effective in treating “knee osteoarthritis”, and to evaluate whether they can relieve pain and make knee movement easier. I hope good news will come out from this clinical study.

Note:

1. Exosomes (エクソソーム), ranging in size from 30 to 150 nanometers, are membrane-bound extracellular vehicles (EVs) that are produced in the endosomal compartment of most eukaryotic cells. In multicellular organisms, exosomes and other EVs are found in biological fluids including saliva, blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid. EVs have specialized functions in physiological processes, from coagulation and waste management to intercellular communication. (Wikipedia)

China is building nuclear submarines at the fastest pace in history, putting the US Navy in a dire situation

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

中国、原子力潜水艦を史上最速のペースで建造　米海軍の状況は深刻

2026.02.17 Tue posted at 16:31 JST

 （CNN） 中国は過去5年間で原子力潜水艦の生産を増強し、米国よりも速いペースで進水させている。この動きは、長らく米国が保持してきた海軍力の優位性を覆す脅威となっていると、英シンクタンク「国際戦略研究所（IISS）」の新たな報告書が指摘した。

 報告書によると、この人民解放軍海軍の増強には、弾道ミサイル原潜と攻撃型原潜の両方が含まれている。

 2021年から25年にかけて建造された中国の原潜は、進水数（10隻対7隻）、排水量（7万9000トン対5万5500トン）ともに米国を上回るという。報告書は、造船所の衛星画像を用いて中国の建造量を推定している。

 中国政府は艦隊数を公表していない。

 IISSは、中国が排水量2万3000トンの原潜3隻を増備したに過ぎなかった16年から20年とは著しい変化だと分析する。米海軍は同時期に5万5500トンを7隻増備した。

 これらの数字は、進水した潜水艦を示しているのであって、必ずしも完成しているわけではなく、現役艦隊に追加されたわけでもない。現役艦隊では依然として米国が大きな優位性を維持している。

 IISSの「ミリタリー・バランス2025」によると、25年初頭時点で中国は12隻の原潜を運用しており、6隻が弾道ミサイル原潜、6隻が誘導ミサイルまたは攻撃型原潜。米国は合計65隻を保有しており、そのうち14隻が弾道ミサイル原潜だ。

 中国は大規模な通常動力潜水艦隊も保有しており、その数は46隻に上る。

 一方で米国は通常動力潜水艦を保有していない。通常動力型は定期的な燃料補給が必要となる。

 中国政府は原潜艦隊を増強するため、同国北部にある渤海船舶重工の葫芦島造船所を大幅に拡張したという。

 これに先立ち、議会調査局（CRS）は先月議会に提出した報告書で、米海軍はバージニア級攻撃型原潜を年間2隻建造するという目標から大きく遅れており、22年以降、米国の造船所は年間1.1～1.2隻しか納入していないと指摘していた。

 「海上に潜水艦が多数存在する状況は、（米国や他の西側諸国が）自国の生産量増加に苦慮する中で、ますます大きな課題となっている」とIISSの報告書は述べている。

 報告書は、葫芦島の造船所で進水した094型弾道ミサイル原潜（SSBN）2隻を取り上げている。核弾頭搭載弾道ミサイルの発射能力を備えた094型は、拡大する中国の三元戦略核戦力を構成する大陸間弾道ミサイル（ICBM）と爆撃機を強化するものだとIISSは指摘する。

 中国はさらに優れた096型SSBNも開発中だという。

 一方で報告書は、「中国の設計は、品質の面で米国や欧州の潜水艦にほぼ確実に後れをとっている」とも述べている。

 中国の最新鋭潜水艦は米国製ほど静粛性が高くないと見られており、ステルス性という点では米海軍が優位に立っている。

 それでも専門家は、海戦では大軍が勝利するのが通例だと指摘する。そして中国はすでに駆逐艦、フリゲート艦、水上戦闘艦からなる世界最大の艦隊を保有している。

 フェラン米海軍長官は昨夏、下院の公聴会で、海軍の建造状況は深刻だと述べ、最善の計画でさえ6カ月遅れで予算を57%超過していると証言した。

 CRSの報告書は今後5年間の潜水艦数について、老朽化したロサンゼルス級攻撃型原潜の退役に伴い、米国の攻撃型の数は30年に「谷底」の47隻に落ち込むとしている。

 今後の潜水艦戦力の「谷」は、「SSN（攻撃型原潜）部隊の運用上の負担が増大し、中国などの潜在的敵対国に対する通常抑止が弱まる時期につながる可能性がある」と報告書は指摘している。

Translation

China is building nuclear submarines at the fastest pace in history, putting the US Navy in a dire situation.

(CNN) China had ramped up nuclear submarine production over the past five years, launching them at a faster pace than the United States. This move threatened to overturn the US's long-held naval superiority, according to a new report from a British think tank, the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).

 The report noted that the People's Liberation Army Navy's expansion included both ballistic missile and attack submarines.

 Between 2021 and 2025 China's nuclear submarines building surpassed those of the United States in both launch numbers (10 vs. 7) and displacement (79,000 tons vs. 55,500 tons). The report used satellite imagery of shipyards to estimate China's construction volume.

The Chinese government had not publicly released the size of its fleet.

The IISS analyzed that this was a significant change compared with from 2016 to 2020 when China added only three 23,000-ton nuclear submarines. The U.S. Navy added seven 55,500-ton submarines during the same period.

 These figures represented submarines launched, not necessarily completed or added to the active fleet. The U.S. still maintained a significant advantage in the active fleet.

 According to the IISS's Military Balance 2025 report, as of early 2025, China operated 12 nuclear submarines: six ballistic missile submarines and six guided missile or attack submarines. The United States had a total of 65 submarines, 14 of which were ballistic missile submarines.

 China also had a large conventional submarine fleet, numbering 46.

 The United States, on the other hand, did not operate conventional submarines, which require regular refueling.

 The Chinese government had reportedly significantly expanded the Bohai (渤海) Shipbuilding Industry Co.'s Huludao (葫芦島) Shipyard in northern China in order to strengthen its nuclear submarine fleet.

 Prior to that, in a report submitted to a Congressional meeting last month, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) noted that the U.S. Navy was falling far behind its goal in building two Virginia-class attack submarines per year, with U.S. shipyards only delivering 1.1 to 1.2 submarines per year since 2022.

 The IISS report stated that "The presence of a large number of submarines at sea is becoming an increasingly big issue as the countries (the United States and other Western countries) are struggling to increase its own production. "

The report highlighted two Type 094 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) launched at the Huludao shipyard. The IISS noted that the Type 094s that was capable of launching nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles would enhance China's expanding strategic nuclear triad of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and bombers.

 China was also reportedly developing the even more advanced Type 096 SSBN.

 However, the report also stated that "Chinese designs and in terms of quality are almost certainly lagging behind the U.S. and European submarines.”

 China's most advanced submarines were not believed to be as quiet as U.S.-made ones and in terms of stealth, the US Navy had the upper hand.

 Still, experts pointed out that larger forces usually win naval battles. And China already possesses the world's largest fleet of destroyers, frigates, and surface combatants.

 Last summer, U.S. Navy Secretary Phelan testified at a House of Representatives hearing to say that the Navy's construction situation was dire, with even the best-laid plans it was six months behind schedule and 57% over budget.

 Regarding submarine numbers over the next five years, the CRS report predicted that the number of U.S. attack submarines would fall to a "nadir" of 47 by 2030 as the aging Los Angeles-class nuclear attack submarines were to retire.

The report said that the upcoming submarine force " nadir " could "lead to a period of increased operational strain on the SSN (nuclear attack submarine) force and weakened conventional deterrence against potential adversaries such as China".

              So, China has ramped up nuclear submarine production over the past five years, launching them at a faster pace than the United States. Apparently, this move will threaten to overturn the US's long-held naval superiority and weaken conventional deterrence against potential adversaries such as China.

Note:

1. An SSN is a nuclear-powered general-purpose attack submarine. SSN is the US Navy hull classification symbol for such vessels. SS means "Submarine, General" according to the NATO Standard Ship Designator System (STANAG 1166) with SSN referring to a "Submarine Attack Nuclear" vessel. The "SS" designator is consistent with other examples of STANAG 1166 using double letter referring to a type of vessel – for example, "BB" designates a Battleships, "DD" is a Destroyer, "CC" a Cruiser, "FF" a Frigate, and so on. (Wikipedia)

在日益加劇的混亂之中，特朗普的10%全球新關稅生效

Recently NIKKEI Asia reported the following:

Trump's new 10% global tariff takes effect amid growing confusion

US president turns to 1974 law after Supreme Court strikes down 'reciprocal' tariffs

February 24, 2026 14:58 JST

WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- U.S. President Donald Trump's new 10% global tariff took effect Tuesday, amid growing confusion at home and abroad about his approach to trade since the Supreme Court's invalidation of a central pillar of his economic agenda.

The new surcharge, which can run through July 24, replaced Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs targeting almost all U.S. trading partners, as well as fentanyl-related levies he applied to goods from China, Canada and Mexico, using a 1970s-era emergency law.

The replacement came after the highest court on Friday struck down those sweeping tariffs, a signature part of Trump's economic program and foreign policy during his second term.

Less than 24 hours after announcing the new, across-the-board tariff under a different legal framework, a furious Trump said Saturday that the rate would be raised to 15%, without specifying when, and hinted at unleashing other import taxes.

To implement the 10% tariff on imports from all countries, he relied on Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows a president to impose duties of up to 15% to address "large and serious" balance-of-payments deficits.

The statute permits such measures to only last 150 days unless Congress approves an extension. No president had previously used the statue to impose tariffs.

According to Trump's proclamation on Friday, certain essential imports to the United States are exempted from the 10% tariff. These include critical minerals, aerospace products, beef, tomatoes and pharmaceuticals.

In addition, the temporary measure will not apply to imports already hit by the sector-specific tariffs Trump has levied on national security grounds since his return to office in January last year, such as automobiles and steel products.

The sectoral tariffs are authorized under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.

But the 10% tariff will be added to the preexisting duties on other goods, meaning import costs for some companies could be higher than before the court's ruling.

The tariffs will be paid by importers in the United States, not exporters, and the increased costs are likely to be passed on to American consumers.

In the case of Japan's trade agreement with the United States, reached last summer, the Trump administration imposed a 15% country-specific tariff on goods from the Asian country.

Still, Japan was given "no-stacking" special treatment, under which imports from the country with preexisting tariffs of 15% or higher were not facing any additional levy, while duties on other items were at 15%.

On Monday, Trump warned U.S. trading partners not to take advantage of the Supreme Court's ruling, which said he overstepped his presidential powers last year when he invoked the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the country-specific tariffs, without gaining congressional approval.

Trump wrote on social media that any country that seeks to "play games" with the decision will face a "much higher" tariff. He especially threatened countries with which the United States runs trade deficits and those that have already reached tariff deals.

Translation

在日益加劇的混亂之中，特朗普的10%全球新關稅生效

 最高法院駁回「對等」關稅後，美國總統轉向援引1974年法律

 華盛頓（共同社）- 美國總統特朗普的全球10%新關稅於週二生效。此前，最高法院駁回了他的經濟議程之中一核心支柱，導致國內外對其貿易政策的困惑日益加劇。

這項新的附加稅可持續至7月24日，它取代了特朗普針對幾乎所有美國貿易夥伴徵收的所謂「對等」關稅，以及援引1970年代的一項緊急法案，對來自中國、加拿大和墨西哥的商品徵收芬太尼的相關關稅。

此前，最高法院於週五推翻了特朗普第二任期內一系列全面關稅措施，這些關稅是其經濟計劃和外交政策的標誌性組成部分。

憤怒的特朗普在宣佈根據不同的法律框架全面對各國商品徵收新關稅不到24小時後，於週六表示，關稅稅率將提高至15%，但並未具體說明何時生效，並暗示將實施其他進口稅。

為了對所有國家的進口商品徵收10%的關稅，他引用了1974年《貿易法》第122條。該條款允許總統徵收最高15%的關稅，以應對「巨額且嚴重的」國際收支逆差。

該條款規定，除非國會批准延期，否則此類措施的有效期僅為150天。此前從未有總統援引該條款徵收關稅。

根據特朗普週五的公告，某些對美國至關重要的進口商品可免徵10%的關稅。這些商品包括關鍵礦產、航空航太產品、牛肉、番茄和藥品。

此外，這項臨時措施不適用於自特朗普去年1月重返總統職位以來，已因國家安全理由而徵收的特定產業關稅所影響的進口商品，例如汽車和鋼鐵產品。

這些行業關稅是根據1962年《貿易擴展法》第232條授權徵收的。

但新增的10%關稅將加在其他商品的現有關稅之上，這意味著一些公司的進口成本可能會高於法院裁決之前。

這些關稅將由美國進口商而非出口商支付，增加的成本很可能會轉嫁給美國消費者。

以去年夏天達成的美國與日本的貿易協定為例，特朗普政府對來自日本的商品徵收了15%的特定國家關稅。

儘管如此，日本仍享有「不疊加」的特殊待遇，即此前已對日本徵收15%或以上關稅的進口商品無需額外加徵關稅，而其他商品的關稅則為15%。

週一，特朗普警告美國貿易夥伴不要利用最高法院的裁決而去佔便宜。最高法院裁定，特朗普去年援引1977年《國際緊急經濟權力法》對特定國家徵收關稅，但因為此舉未獲得國會批准而超越了總統權力。

特朗普在社群媒體上發文稱，任何試圖利用這項裁決「玩弄政治遊戲」的國家都將面臨「更高」的關稅。他尤其威脅那些與美國有貿易逆差的國家，以及已經達成關稅協議的國家。

So, Donald Trump's new 10% global tariff is taking effect after the Supreme Court invalidates his previous economic agenda. The court rules that Trump has overstepped his presidential powers last year when he invoked the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose the country-specific tariffs without gaining congressional approval. To implement the 10% tariff on imports, he now relies on Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows a president to impose duties of up to 15% to address "large and serious" balance-of-payments deficits. Apparently, Trump is furious about the court’s decision.

中國深山之中，一個核武復興正在成形（2/2）

Recently the New York Times reported the following:

China Nuclear Site (Credit: The NYT)

Deep in China’s Mountains, a Nuclear Revival Takes Shape (2/2)

Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing’s efforts to expand its arsenal, just as the last global guardrails on nuclear weapons vanish

The NYT - By Chris Buckley and Agnes Chang

 Feb. 15, 2026

(continue)

The sites in Sichuan were built six decades ago as part of Mao Zedong’s “Third Front,” a project to shield China’s nuclear weapons production labs and plants from strikes by the United States or the Soviet Union.

Tens of thousands of scientists, engineers and workers labored in secret to carve into the mountainous interior what Danny B. Stillman, an American nuclear scientist who visited the area, later called, in a coauthored book, “an inland nuclear empire.”

When China’s tensions with Washington and Moscow subsided in the 1980s, many “Third Front” nuclear facilities closed or shrank, and often their scientists moved to a new weapons lab in the nearby city of Mianyang. Sites like Pingtong and Zitong continued operating, but change in the years that followed was piecemeal, reflecting China’s policy then of keeping a relatively small nuclear arsenal, said Dr. Babiarz.

That era of restraint faded from about seven years ago. China began rapidly building or upgrading many nuclear weapons facilities, and construction at the sites in Sichuan also accelerated, Dr. Babiarz said. The buildup includes a vast laser ignition lab in Mianyang that could be used to study nuclear warheads without detonating actual weapons.

The design of the Pingtong complex suggests that it is being used to make the pits of nuclear warheads — the metal core, usually containing plutonium — according to Dr. Babiarz. He noted that its architecture was similar to that of pit making facilities in other countries, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory in the United States.

In Zitong, the new bunkers and ramparts are likely being used to test “high explosives,” experts say, referring to the chemical compounds that detonate to create the conditions for a chain reaction in nuclear materials.

“You have a layer of high explosives and the shock wave at the same time implodes into the center. This needs blast tests to perfect them,” said Hui Zhang, a physicist who researches China’s nuclear programs at the Kennedy School of Government of Harvard University, who examined Dr. Babiarz’s findings.

The complex includes an oval area about the size of 10 basketball courts.

The precise objective of these upgrades remains a subject of debate. Dr. Zhang said satellite imagery alone offers limited information. “We don’t know how many warheads have been produced, but we just see the plant expansion,” he said.

Some of the recent changes may simply reflect upgrades for safety, said Dr. Zhang, the author of a new book, ‘The Untold Story of China’s Nuclear Weapon Development and Testing.’ Chinese nuclear engineers may also need more facilities and test areas at Zitong to modify warhead designs for new weapons, such as submarine-launched missiles, he said.

One major concern for Washington is how this larger, more modern arsenal might change China’s behavior in a crisis, particularly over Taiwan.

China wants to be “in the position where they believe they’re largely immune from nuclear coercion by the United States,” said Michael S. Chase, a former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for China who is now a senior political scientist at RAND. “I think they probably judge that could come into play in a conventional conflict over Taiwan.”

Translation

中國深山之中，一個核武復興正在成形（2/2）

衛星影像顯示，北京正試圖擴充其核武庫，此時，全球核武的最後一道阻止欄已不復存在。

（繼續）

四川的這些設施建於六十年前，是毛澤東「第三戰線」計劃的一部分，旨在保護中國的核武生產實驗室和工廠免受美國或蘇聯的打擊。

數萬名科學家、工程師和工人秘密地在四川山區開墾出一片土地，正如曾到訪該地區的美國核科學家Danny B. Stillman後來在與人合著的一本書中所說的 “內陸核帝國” 。

Babiarz博士說，1980年代，隨著中國與華盛頓和莫斯科的緊張關係緩和，許多「第三戰線」的核設施關閉或縮減規模，其科學家通常被轉移到附近Mianyang市新建的武器實驗室。Pingtong和Zitong等設施繼續運行，但隨後幾年的變化是零星的，這反映了當時中國保持相對較小的核武庫的政策。

這種克制的時代大約在七年前結束。Babiarz博士表示，中國已開始快速建造或升級眾多核武設施，四川的建設速度也顯著加快。這些設施包括Mianyang一座規模龐大的雷射點火實驗室，該實驗室可用於在不引爆實際武器的情況下研究核彈頭。

Babiarz博士指出，Pingtong綜合設施的設計表明，它正被用於製造核彈頭的彈芯 - 通常含有鈽的金屬核心。他提到該設施的建築結構與其他國家的彈芯製造設施類似，包括美國洛斯阿拉莫斯國家實驗室。

專家表示，在Zitong，新建的掩體和圍牆很可能用於測試“高爆炸藥”，這裡指的是能夠在核材料中引爆以產生連鎖反應條件的化學化合物。

曾審閱Babiarz博士的研究成果的哈佛大學甘迺迪政府學院的研究中國核子計劃的物理學家Hui Zhang說道:「核彈頭有一層高爆炸藥，衝擊波同時會向中心內爆。這需要透過爆炸試驗來完善」。

該設施包括一個橢圓形區域，面積約相當於10個籃球場。

這些升級的具體目的仍有爭議。Zhang博士表示，因只有衛星影像故提供的資訊有限。 他說:「我們不知道已經生產了多少枚核彈頭，我們只看到工廠在擴建中」。

Zhang博士是新書《中國核武研發與實驗秘史》的作者，他表示，最近的一些變化可能只是反影為了提高安全性。他還說，中國核子工程師可能還需要在Zitong建造更多的設施和試驗場地，以便改善新型武器例如潛射飛彈的彈頭設計。

華盛頓的主要擔憂之一是，中國擁有規模更大、更現代化的核武庫，這可能會在危機發生時，尤其是在台灣問題上，改變中國的行為。

RAND高級政治學家、前美國國防部負責中國事務的副助理部長Michael S. Chase表示，中國希望「讓自己相信已處於一種基本不受美國核脅迫的位置」; 「我認為他們可能認為，在圍繞台灣的常規衝突中這會發揮作用」。

So, in valleys of southwest China is accelerating its nuclear buildup. One such valley is known as Zitong while the other valley is Pingtong. The precise objective of these upgrades remains a subject of debate. One major concern for Washington is how this larger, more modern arsenal might change China’s behavior in a crisis, particularly over Taiwan. Some US experts think China wants to be in the position where they believe they’re largely immune from nuclear coercion by the United States, and believes that position could come into play during a conventional conflict over Taiwan. Apparently, China is updating its nuclear arsenal.