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Israel is not expected to attack Iranian nuclear facilities – NYT

Posted on by Vanessa
Israel is not expected to attack Iranian nuclear facilities – NYT

Israel's response to Iran's rocket fire in early October will not be to attack its nuclear facilities, but rather to target the military bases and intelligence sites of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, according to a report on Monday New York Times citing officials.

The report said that while Israel would prefer U.S. assistance in its response, Biden and other U.S. officials have said attacks on nuclear facilities would be ineffective and “push the region into a full-scale war,” it said the report. However, the nuclear facilities could be considered as targets if Iran escalates with its own attacks. Both former and senior Israeli officials have done so

The Just Pentagon officials also reportedly wondered whether Israel was preparing a retaliatory response against Iran alone. The report also quoted former and current senior Israeli officials as admitting doubts about whether Israel could actually cause damage to Iran's nuclear facilities.

Iran has directly attacked Israel twice this year, the first time in April.

Escalation warnings

US President Joe Biden initially warned Israel after the Iranian attack earlier this month that the Jewish state's response should be “proportionate”. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant that Israel should avoid any steps that would lead to an escalation of tensions in Iran. It is estimated that Iran has increased its uranium production over the years, which would allow it to build a bomb.

A view of the Natanz uranium enrichment facility 250 km (155 miles) south of the Iranian capital Tehran, March 30, 2005. (Credit: REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi/File Photo)

The Just The report also speaks of “increasing demands” in Israel for the country to have the opportunity to scale back Iranian capabilities in the region by several years. Former US President Donald Trump said in a speech that Israel should “go after nuclear weapons first and worry about the rest later.” It was also mentioned that in the event of an escalation of tensions between the two countries, a likely target for Israel's response would be Iran's nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz, and it was reported that Israel had already developed plans to “disable the massive centrifuge hall.”

The Just explained that the enrichment facility has been the focus of Israeli and US attention for around 22 years.



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