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beltman713
01-06-2007, 09:16 PM
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2535310,00.html

Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran

Uzi Mahnaimi, New York and Sarah Baxter, Washington
ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities with tactical nuclear weapons.

Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian facility using low-yield nuclear “bunker-busters”, according to several Israeli military sources.

The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of the Hiroshima bomb.

Under the plans, conventional laser-guided bombs would open “tunnels” into the targets. “Mini-nukes” would then immediately be fired into a plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.

“As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished,” said one of the sources.

The plans, disclosed to The Sunday Times last week, have been prompted in part by the Israeli intelligence service Mossad’s assessment that Iran is on the verge of producing enough enriched uranium to make nuclear weapons within two years.

Israeli military commanders believe conventional strikes may no longer be enough to annihilate increasingly well-defended enrichment facilities. Several have been built beneath at least 70ft of concrete and rock. However, the nuclear-tipped bunker-busters would be used only if a conventional attack was ruled out and if the United States declined to intervene, senior sources said.

Israeli and American officials have met several times to consider military action. Military analysts said the disclosure of the plans could be intended to put pressure on Tehran to halt enrichment, cajole America into action or soften up world opinion in advance of an Israeli attack.

Some analysts warned that Iranian retaliation for such a strike could range from disruption of oil supplies to the West to terrorist attacks against Jewish targets around the world.

Israel has identified three prime targets south of Tehran which are believed to be involved in Iran’s nuclear programme:

# Natanz, where thousands of centrifuges are being installed for uranium enrichment

# A uranium conversion facility near Isfahan where, according to a statement by an Iranian vice-president last week, 250 tons of gas for the enrichment process have been stored in tunnels

# A heavy water reactor at Arak, which may in future produce enough plutonium for a bomb

Israeli officials believe that destroying all three sites would delay Iran’s nuclear programme indefinitely and prevent them from having to live in fear of a “second Holocaust”.

The Israeli government has warned repeatedly that it will never allow nuclear weapons to be made in Iran, whose president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has declared that “Israel must be wiped off the map”.

Robert Gates, the new US defence secretary, has described military action against Iran as a “last resort”, leading Israeli officials to conclude that it will be left to them to strike.

Israeli pilots have flown to Gibraltar in recent weeks to train for the 2,000-mile round trip to the Iranian targets. Three possible routes have been mapped out, including one over Turkey.

Air force squadrons based at Hatzerim in the Negev desert and Tel Nof, south of Tel Aviv, have trained to use Israel’s tactical nuclear weapons on the mission. The preparations have been overseen by Major General Eliezer Shkedi, commander of the Israeli air force.

Sources close to the Pentagon said the United States was highly unlikely to give approval for tactical nuclear weapons to be used. One source said Israel would have to seek approval “after the event”, as it did when it crippled Iraq’s nuclear reactor at Osirak with airstrikes in 1981.

Scientists have calculated that although contamination from the bunker-busters could be limited, tons of radioactive uranium compounds would be released.

The Israelis believe that Iran’s retaliation would be constrained by fear of a second strike if it were to launch its Shehab-3 ballistic missiles at Israel.

However, American experts warned of repercussions, including widespread protests that could destabilise parts of the Islamic world friendly to the West.

Colonel Sam Gardiner, a Pentagon adviser, said Iran could try to close the Strait of Hormuz, the route for 20% of the world’s oil.

Some sources in Washington said they doubted if Israel would have the nerve to attack Iran. However, Dr Ephraim Sneh, the deputy Israeli defence minister, said last month: “The time is approaching when Israel and the international community will have to decide whether to take military action against Iran.”

Gold9472
01-06-2007, 09:38 PM
http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13427

AuGmENTor
01-06-2007, 09:39 PM
Well, I guess they changed their minds.

Gold9472
01-06-2007, 09:40 PM
If I had a dime...

http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12937
http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6825
http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6778
http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=889

Gold9472
01-06-2007, 09:43 PM
The difference is... now we have this on the table...

http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14056

PhilosophyGenius
01-07-2007, 12:43 AM
The difference is... now we have this on the table...

http://www.yourbbsucks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14056

They're gonna use the nuclear weapons they don't have to blow up Israel.

Gold9472
01-07-2007, 11:38 AM
Israel denies planning attack on Iran's nuclear facilities

http://rawstory.com/news/2006/Israel_denies_planning_attack_on_Ir_01072007.html

dpa German Press Agency
Published: Sunday January 7, 2007

Tel Aviv/Tehran- Israel vehemently denied Sunday a report by a British newspaper which claimed that it plans to attack Iran's uranium enrichment facilities using nuclear weapons.

According to the report quoting Israeli military sources, two Israel Air Force squadrons are training to blow up an enrichment plant at Natanz, around 220 kilometres south-east of Tehran, using "bunker buster" nuclear bombs. Two other sites would also be hit with conventional weapons.

"As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished," one of the Israeli military sources told the newspaper.

However, labelling the report as "incorrect," Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that "Israel supports 100 per cent the efforts of the international community, via the United Nations Security Council, to stop Iran's nuclear programme."

The nuclear weapons would be used only if an attack with conventional weapons was ruled out and the US decided not to intervene, the Sunday Times report said.

Meanwhile in Tehran, Iran once again vowed retaliation in case of a military attack by Israel against its nuclear sites.

"Any attack against Iran would not remain without a decisive reply and any aggressor would quickly regret its action," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said in a press briefing.

Tehran has always claimed its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes but Israel and Western countries such as the US believe the Islamic state is intent on building nuclear weapons.

Israel has repeatedly called for Iran's nuclear drive to be halted, fearing that any Iranian nuclear weapons would be used against it, given President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's frequent calls for the Jewish state to be wiped off the map.

Last month the UN Security Council voted to impose sanctions on Tehran over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

beltman713
01-07-2007, 11:45 AM
I don't think Israel could pull it off without our help. They don't have stealth fighters or bombers that can take out Iran's anti-air defenses. From what I have read in the past, it would seem that Russia has been supplying Iran with some pretty sophisticated anti-aircraft equipment. Not only that, but while the Shah was still in charge of Iran, we trained Iran's military in all kinds of military strategy, including anti-air defense.

Gold9472
01-07-2007, 11:53 AM
Iran has a strong military.

beltman713
01-07-2007, 11:55 AM
Iran has a strong military.
Strong and capable.

Gold9472
01-07-2007, 11:56 AM
Military branches: Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (Niruye Havayi Jomhuriye Islamiye Iran; includes air defense); Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army); Law Enforcement Forces (2006)

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; soldiers as young as 9 were recruited extensively during the Iran-Iraq War; conscript service obligation - 18 months (2004)

Manpower available for military service: males age 18-49: 18,319,545 females age 18-49: 17,541,037 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service: males age 18-49: 15,665,725 females age 18-49: 15,005,597 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually: males age 18-49: 862,056 females age 18-49: 808,044 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 3.3% (2003 est.)

PhilosophyGenius
01-07-2007, 07:07 PM
I don't think the size of Iran's military would mean much because they wouldn't be able to bring them over to Israel without getting shot down.