Israel may bomb Iran nuke sites - reports Read more: http://www.news.com.a

[chanikya]

ISRAEL could attack Iran this spring in a bid to stop Tehran from producing a nuclear weapon, an unnamed defence official has told CNN.
The source was familiar with an assessment by Defence Secretary Leon Panetta that Israel could act this northern spring before Tehran advances further in its nuclear program.

The Washington Post reported yesterday that Mr Panetta thinks there is "strong likelihood" that Israel could order a strike in April, May or June, before Tehran could build a nuclear weapon and have stockpiled uranium underground where it could not be reached by Israeli weapons.

Israel was said to be considering a limited strike on uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and other targets, the Post said.

US officials told the newspaper they do not believe Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had made a decision yet on a possible attack, and that there was disagreement within the Israeli intelligence community about the proposal.

Israel's major allies are working hard to talk it out of the unilateral military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, arguing forcefully that an attack ultimately would strengthen, not weaken, the rulers in Tehran.

The United States is leading the persuasion initiative, even though Washington largely has concluded that outside argument will have little effect on Israeli decision-making.

Iran's regime says it wants to extinguish the Jewish state, and the West accuses it of assembling the materiel and know-how to build a nuclear bomb. Israel fears that Iran is fast approaching a point at which a limited military strike no longer would be enough to head off an Iranian bomb.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said yesterday that the world increasingly is ready to consider a military strike against Iran if economic sanctions do not persuade Tehran to give up suspect parts of its nuclear program. Iran says its program is for peaceful purposes.

"Today as opposed to in the past there is wide world understanding that in the event that sanctions won't reach the intended result of stopping the military nuclear program, there will be need to consider action," Mr Barak said in Israel.

Israeli officials asserted at a security conference yesterday that Iran already has produced enough enriched uranium eventually to build four rudimentary nuclear bombs and was even developing missiles capable of reaching the United States. Much of the agenda appeared aimed at strengthening Israel's case for a strike, if it chose to make one.

President Barack Obama maintains that the US is reserving the right to attack Iran if it one day feels it must, but an Israeli strike on Iran is more likely than a US one in the near term.

"Israel has indicated they are considering this, and we have indicated our concerns," Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said on Thursday in Brussels.

Mr Panetta would not comment on a published report that he fears Israel already has decided to go ahead.

Israel may bomb Iran nuke sites - reports | News.com.au

 

[yahya07]

Enough with these topics, there's dozens of these every week. Bottom line is Israel does not have the kind of sustained military projection capabilities needed to attack Iran, and not even close. I don't even need to mention the amount of times Israel has backtracked on its "red lines" and threats of "imminent attack".

 

[chanikya]

It is not necessary that every time it is said they take the action, depending on the need they will take or may not take, and even Iran is not that much weak is also a true point.

 

[Harry_Thomason]

If I would get a penny every time Israel claims to attack Iran, I would be a rich man

Lets use some common sense - Israel at most would be able to do one sortie, at limited number of nuclear sites, with very limited damage since most sites are deep under ground and impenetrable for Israel's bombs. Iran would strike back itself and through proxies - inflicting much greater damage than Israel on Iran. How does that help to stop alleged nuclear bombs program? It doesnt.

One could argue that logic behind such Israel attack would be to force US to defend Israel, and US would have to start a full fledged war. However knowing Israel isnt exactly brave, and they care about their ***** far more than about Americans, its safe to assume Israel will never attack Iran first, they'll try to push US to do it.