Netanyahu: Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Facilities an Option
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, warned that if the international community fails to stop the ayatollahs from acquiring nuclear weapons the Jewish state may be forced to attack Iran’s nuclear sites.
“The reality of our region is rapidly changing.” We do not stand still. “We are adapting both our combat doctrine and action options to these changes,” stated the Prime Minister in reference Iran’s rapid advances in nuclear technology and regional aggression.
“We’re committed to acting against Iran’s nuclear program, against rocket attacks… and against… what we call a’multifront campaign, ‘” added Netanyahu. He was warning the ayatollahs regime, its terrorist proxies Hezbollah and Iranian-backed Islamists, in Syria and Lebanon, as well the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.
Danny Citrinowicz is a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, Iran Program. He told The Media Line, that Iran has dramatically expanded its uranium-enrichment program.
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Citrinowicz said that Iran has made great progress in enriching uranium.
Although military experts acknowledge Israel’s ability to strike Iran’s nucleonic facilities, there is disagreement over the long-term impact of such an action.
“Iran’s nuclear weapon development cannot be stopped.” Citrinowicz said that it can only be postponed.
His assessment is based upon the assumption that Iran could potentially rebuild its damaged nuclear facilities. The same argument was used by critics in 1981 when Israel attacked the Iraqi Osirak nuclear reactor.
The former Saddam Hussein government never rebuilt the reactor that was bombed outside Baghdad. At this time, there are only speculative reports on what the ayatollahs would do if Israel were to strike Iran’s nuclear program.
According to reports, a strike on Iran’s nucleonic infrastructure would be more complicated than ever before because the nuclear facilities in Iran are dispersed, heavily fortified and highly defended. Iran is also located at a distance of over 1,000 miles from Israel, which would put the Israeli Air Force to the limit in terms of refueling.
Yaakov Amidror, retired Israeli Maj.-Gen., is a senior fellow at Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and a former national security advisor. He believes the Jewish State has the capability to launch an attack against Iran. He cautions, however, that it would be one the most complex military operations in Israeli history if carried out.
Amidror said, “This would be an extremely complex operation for Israel. It would require the entire Israeli Air Force to be airborne simultaneously, reach Iran, and then successfully attack Iran.
Iran’s missile development is also progressing, according to reports. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Aerospace Force revealed an alleged hypersonic rocket on Tuesday. It claimed it could “evade any defense system.” Iran has a large missile program but the operational capabilities of the new missile are unclear.
Yoav Galant, Israeli Defense Minister, responded to the Iranian missile announcement by saying that Israel has the capability to respond against any Iranian weapon system.
I hear my enemies bragging about the weapons they’re developing. Gallant stated that we had a better response to any such development — on land, air or sea, and including both offensive and defensive means.
Israel’s defense minister warned that if Hezbollah, a group backed by Iran, “made a mistake”, Israel would “bomb it into the stone age”.
Gallant warned: “We will be able to defend Israel’s citizens and strike our enemies with a devastating blow, if they dare to attack us.”
Israel, while stating that it prefers a diplomatic solution on an international level to deal with the growing Iranian threat and its complexity, is still keeping the military option as a solid plan B.
