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As the US and other world powers resume pursuit of a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear programme, Israel’s outgoing national security chief has joined other officials in sounding a tough warning, insisting that the Jewish state has the ability to strike the Islamic Republic and is willing to go it alone.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Yaakov Amidror, who stepped down last month, said Israel could halt Iran’s nuclear weapons capability “for a very long time”, and added its air force had been conducting “very long-range flights . . . all around the world” as part of preparations for a possible military confrontation with Iran.
“We are not the United States of America, of course, and believe it or not they have more capabilities than us,” Mr Amidror said. “But we have enough to stop the Iranians for a very long time.”
Mr Amidror’s comments are the latest in a series of strong – and at times belligerent – remarks by Israeli government officials, who are in open disagreement with the US about the negotiations to get Iran to freeze its military nuclear capability. A new round of talks will open in Geneva on Wednesday.
Israel opposes the notion of an interim deal between Iran and world powers that falls short of dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme entirely. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, last week gave one of his strongest hints yet that Israel might strike Iran when he said that a “bad deal” was liable to lead to war.
The US has consistently opposed an Israeli attack on Iran. Washington fears a unilateral strike would prompt huge retaliation against Israel, particularly from Iran’s Lebanon-based ally Hizbollah, as well as possible Iranian reprisals against US military installations in the Gulf.
Officials and analysts in the US and Israel also say Israel acting alone would inflict less damage to Iranian nuclear facilities than a US-led operation.
While the Pentagon has made available to Israel a broad range of military technologies, one of the weapons it has held back is its new generation of “bunker-buster” bombs. Military analysts believe it is the only weapon potentially able to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, which is buried deep under a mountain.
Mr Amidror, when asked whether Israel’s military capability included the ability to strike Iran’s underground nuclear installations, said: “including everything”, but declined to elaborate.
“We are not bluffing,” Mr Amidror said. “We are very serious – preparing ourselves for the possibility that Israel will have to defend itself by itself.”
He said Israel’s preparations for possible conflict included long-range flights to ready Israeli pilots for possible missions to Iran.
“From here to Iran, it is 2,000km, and you have to be familiar with such destinations,” Mr Amidror said.
He added: “All those who have radar cover of the Middle East know what we are doing.” He said that the flights had been taking place “for a few years”.
Mr Amidror, a two-star general, served as Israel’s national security adviser for two and a half years, longer than any of his predecessors. He has known Mr Netanyahu since 1969, when they took an intelligence course together near Tel Aviv.
When asked whether he was convinced the Israeli prime minister had it in him to take unilateral military action, he said: “If you ask about him personally as a prime minister, he is ready to take such decisions. The answer is a clear yes.” He added: “The situation will be the determining factor for any prime minister. The situation will dictate actions.”
Israel is thought to have a nuclear weapons arsenal of its own, which it has never acknowledged. It sees Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear bomb as a threat to its existence and says a nuclear-armed Iran would threaten other countries – including the US – and draw the region into a new arms race.
“It is not just a threat to Israel, it is a threat to the whole of the Middle East and, towards the end of this decade, to the world,” Mr Amidror said. “But we cannot count on others to do the job if the others don’t want to do the job.”
If Hizbollah were to retaliate by firing missiles and rockets at Israel, Mr Amidror indicated that Israel must be prepared to undertake a ground operation in Lebanon to root out those doing the firing.
“We will have to be ready to use ground forces to go into the urban centres and to deal with the people who are launching the rockets, and to destroy the rockets and launchers,” he said.
Israel willing to strike Iran on its own, says ex-security chief - FT.com
In an interview with the Financial Times, Yaakov Amidror, who stepped down last month, said Israel could halt Iran’s nuclear weapons capability “for a very long time”, and added its air force had been conducting “very long-range flights . . . all around the world” as part of preparations for a possible military confrontation with Iran.
“We are not the United States of America, of course, and believe it or not they have more capabilities than us,” Mr Amidror said. “But we have enough to stop the Iranians for a very long time.”
Mr Amidror’s comments are the latest in a series of strong – and at times belligerent – remarks by Israeli government officials, who are in open disagreement with the US about the negotiations to get Iran to freeze its military nuclear capability. A new round of talks will open in Geneva on Wednesday.
Israel opposes the notion of an interim deal between Iran and world powers that falls short of dismantling Iran’s nuclear programme entirely. Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister, last week gave one of his strongest hints yet that Israel might strike Iran when he said that a “bad deal” was liable to lead to war.
The US has consistently opposed an Israeli attack on Iran. Washington fears a unilateral strike would prompt huge retaliation against Israel, particularly from Iran’s Lebanon-based ally Hizbollah, as well as possible Iranian reprisals against US military installations in the Gulf.
Officials and analysts in the US and Israel also say Israel acting alone would inflict less damage to Iranian nuclear facilities than a US-led operation.
While the Pentagon has made available to Israel a broad range of military technologies, one of the weapons it has held back is its new generation of “bunker-buster” bombs. Military analysts believe it is the only weapon potentially able to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment facility at Fordow, which is buried deep under a mountain.
Mr Amidror, when asked whether Israel’s military capability included the ability to strike Iran’s underground nuclear installations, said: “including everything”, but declined to elaborate.
“We are not bluffing,” Mr Amidror said. “We are very serious – preparing ourselves for the possibility that Israel will have to defend itself by itself.”
He said Israel’s preparations for possible conflict included long-range flights to ready Israeli pilots for possible missions to Iran.
“From here to Iran, it is 2,000km, and you have to be familiar with such destinations,” Mr Amidror said.
He added: “All those who have radar cover of the Middle East know what we are doing.” He said that the flights had been taking place “for a few years”.
Mr Amidror, a two-star general, served as Israel’s national security adviser for two and a half years, longer than any of his predecessors. He has known Mr Netanyahu since 1969, when they took an intelligence course together near Tel Aviv.
When asked whether he was convinced the Israeli prime minister had it in him to take unilateral military action, he said: “If you ask about him personally as a prime minister, he is ready to take such decisions. The answer is a clear yes.” He added: “The situation will be the determining factor for any prime minister. The situation will dictate actions.”
Israel is thought to have a nuclear weapons arsenal of its own, which it has never acknowledged. It sees Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear bomb as a threat to its existence and says a nuclear-armed Iran would threaten other countries – including the US – and draw the region into a new arms race.
“It is not just a threat to Israel, it is a threat to the whole of the Middle East and, towards the end of this decade, to the world,” Mr Amidror said. “But we cannot count on others to do the job if the others don’t want to do the job.”
If Hizbollah were to retaliate by firing missiles and rockets at Israel, Mr Amidror indicated that Israel must be prepared to undertake a ground operation in Lebanon to root out those doing the firing.
“We will have to be ready to use ground forces to go into the urban centres and to deal with the people who are launching the rockets, and to destroy the rockets and launchers,” he said.
Israel willing to strike Iran on its own, says ex-security chief - FT.com
