Israeli minister: Strike possible on Iran

(AP) 

JERUSALEM - Israel's defense minister warned of a possible Israeli military strike against Iran's nuclear program, and rejected suggestions the Jewish state would be devastated by an Iranian counterattack.

Ehud Barak spoke on Nov. 8, a day before the United Nations' nuclear agency was expected to release a critical report on the Iranian program. The report is expected to implicate Iran in bomb building and erase any doubts about the nature of the program, which Iran says is designed to produce energy, not weapons.

Barak told Israel Radio he didn't expect the International Atomic Energy Agency report to persuade Russia and China to impose what he called "lethal" sanctions on Iran to pressure Tehran to dismantle its nuclear installations.

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"As long as no such sanctions have been imposed and proven effective, we continue to recommend to our friends in the world and to ourselves, not to take any option off the table," he said.

The "all options on the table" phrase is often used by Israeli politicians to mean a military assault.

The U.N. has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Tehran, but none has succeeded in curbing Iran's nuclear ambitions. On Tuesday, Barak suggested adding a naval blockade that would cut off Iran's economic lifeline, oil.

Israel views Iran as its greatest threat because of its nuclear program, its missiles, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's repeated references to the destruction of the Jewish state and Iran's support for Palestinian and Lebanese militant groups.

Israeli leaders have sent out signals recently that military action is on the agenda. An official told The Associated Press last week that the Israeli Cabinet has discussed the matter, with Barak and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in favor of taking action. An Israeli missile test last week, combined with an announcement of a special air force drill in Italy, further raised speculation.

With the IAEA report approaching, it is unclear whether the leaks are true threats or merely a pressure tactic to push the international community to take decisive action particularly given the risk that an Israeli attack on Iran would carry.

With most of its population concentrated in a narrow corridor of land along the Mediterranean, Israel's home front could be vulnerable to a counterattack if Israel were to strike.

An Israeli attack would also likely spark retaliation from Iran and local Iranian proxies, the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip to Israel's south and Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon along Israel's northern border. Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah all possess formidable rocket and missile arsenals.

Barak lashed out against the recent reports suggesting that he and Netanyahu were intent on attacking Iran, over the objection of Israeli defense chiefs. He also accused critics of fear mongering by warning of mass Israeli casualties in the case of an Iranian missile strike.

"This outlandish depiction (by the media) of two people, the prime minister and the defense minister, sitting in a closed room and leading the entire country into an adventurist operation is baseless and divorced from reality," he said.

A larger forum of Cabinet ministers would have to make that decision if it is made at all, he said. "We haven't decided yet to embark on any operation," he said. "We don't want war."

But if Israel is dragged into one, he said, "I tell you there won't be 100,000 casualties, and not 10,000 casualties and not 1,000 casualties," he said. "And Israel won't be destroyed."

In 1981, Israel stunned the world with an airstrike on an unfinished nuclear reactor in Iraq that destroyed Saddam Hussein's nuclear program. Israeli warplanes also destroyed a site in Syria in 2007 that the U.N. nuclear watchdog deemed to be a secretly built nuclear reactor, though Israel never acknowledged responsibility for the attack.

Iran's program would be significantly more difficult to cripple because its facilities are scattered, and some are mobile and some built underground.

[jmhubers]

We're being set up for another disastrous war which, if Israel can't get us to bomb Iran, they will do. It began with the questionable accusation of Iranian complicity in the clumsy attempt to assassinate the Saudi ambassador, now "evidence" has emerged that Iran "is" (even though the evidence says "might be") building nuclear weapons. Next we'll hear that the Iranian government is oppressing women and children; then a plot to assassinate our president will be "uncovered" then thousands will die in another "shock and awe" campaign that will make us feel righteous.

We're being set up for another war, if not our war, then one we will be asked to support. Don't buy it.

[Sloughfoot]

Not unlike N. Korea, Iran will put the whole region in jeopardy for their idealogical dreams-nightmares.

[worldcitizen1]

You must be referring to Israel! They are the push towards to war in the middle east. They intend to maintain their nuclear superiority at any cost. I am not sure which of the two countries are the biggest threat? Israel already has nuclear weapons and is threatening Iran. Iran needs nuclear weapons to defend it's country from Israel's aggressive policies, .M.A.D. worked for the cold war between the US and the USSR. Without US 'foreign aid' there is no way Israel could afford such a huge high tech military machine. It comes at a huge cost to the US taxpayer, who is seeing their basic services cut. I do not want my tax money to go to any foreign country at a time of such financial problems. Peace in the middle east would receive a major boost by cutting off all aid to Israel.

[thomasmc1957]

While Iran may not have produced any nuclear weapons, I'd be very surprised if they haven't purchased any on the black market.

If Israel attacks Iran, you should expect Tel Aviv to vanish in a flash of light soon after.

[ToolMangler1]

Israel whipped three countries at the same time without using a nuke (6 Days War). They can and would whip Iran if need be, but they, like America , won't use a Nuke unless attacked with one...
(Do not cite WWII, That was totally different than today)

[morriswise]

Western experts are shocked that the new Iranian bomb will not be much larger than the size of a basketball; they have conquered the technology of miniaturization.

[kbbpll]

And how soon can we expect Israel to come clean about their own nuclear arsenal? Oh, that's right, they don't have to. No fan of Iran, but what's the Hebrew word for hypocrite, Mr Barak?

[Brokennews]

Say Israel does take out Iran's nuke plants. What kind of retaliation could Iran really engage in? Sure they have some missles that could reach them, but with only conventional warheads (at the moment). You have Iraq & Saudi Arabia in between them & Israel. Saudi's are not real chummy with Iran after they tried to snuff thier Ambassador. Iraq isn't going to let them cross thier turf to get there. Syria might be a route to go, but the logistics would be very awkward & expensive. I don't know how much help Syria will be. They're really busy right now putting bullets into thier own citizens at the moment. Might get some sympathy rockets launched from Gaza, but that a regular experience in Israel. Lebanon might chip in & help, but they're not enough of a force. They have rockets, but no real ground based weapons or forces in which to secure captured land. Turkey will most likely give moral support & possibly access through thier nation, but they have more economic ties with Europe than the middle east. Military action on thier part is doubtful. Plus, the bottom line of most counties in the region are almost as against Iran having a nuke as Israel is. I'm not saying that Israel won't have a fight on it's hands, but it's quite possible that Israel could come through this on one piece & in fairly good shape.

[JavMD]

FOOLS... read ! Bunker Buster bombs have been sold to Israel, so they can do the job instead of us.

For all you bleeding heart liberals... ask if North Korea should have been allowed nuke weapons? They tried to build a plant few years ago in Syria and Israel bombed it. Syria didn't complain first the North Koreans did !

Wake up... Dictators and other goof balls are NOT good.

[Xtrabaconplz]

You go Israel - Shalom !

Pakistan celebrates Moslem holiday - Eid, by executing four doctors (Dr Ashok, Dr Naresh, Dr Ajeet and Dr Satia Paul) in Karachi for the crime of being Christian/Hindu. Pakistan, where everyday is a 7th century day in the cesspool.

[notyrants]

What does this have to do with Iran? So you are the racist spreading fear of all muslims? Israel is like a sociopath stirring trouble for other people.

[worldcitizen1]

You are obviously a racist. The US should be a peacemaker, like Christ, since most US citizens profess to be 'Christians'.

[addict42]

Let Isreal attack Iran and let the chips fall where they may on Isreal. In the short run, Isreal will triumph but they will be under relentless attacks from all their neighbors in the long term. Years of terrorists attacks in and on Isreal after they bomb Iran will ultimatley destroy them. Of course the GOP will rally to their defense and send every solider returning from Iraq back to the Mideast, the American and Isreali hawks need war to benefit their defense contractor masters, i.e., General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrup Gruman, etc.

[Xtrabaconplz]

Pakistan celebrates Moslem holiday - Eid, by executing four doctors (Dr Ashok, Dr Naresh, Dr Ajeet and Dr Satia Paul) in Karachi for the crime of being Christian/Hindu. Pakistan, where everyday is a 7th century day in the cesspool.

[nancy_naive]

Any nation governed by fairy tales is in the 7th century, that includes Israel, and will include the US if the Evangelicals get their way.

[notyrants]

Some day people around the world will come to terms once again in a meaningful way recognizing that the Israeli special interests cost people around the world a lot of grief and expense. Decades have heard about the poor Jews who in reality have capitalized on the Nazi offense. Israel is guilty of committing international crime and the United States will pay a price for colluding with this special interest and not sanctioning a sometimes out of control rogue nation.

[kcits]

We already have, it was called 9/11. Radicals who looked at the US as a power supporting their enemy attacked us.
Perhaps its time to look at what that support is costing us.