Israel planning tactical nuclear strike against Iran

[motivez]

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.”

This is probably the worst idea ever.. They're going to cause a chain of events that no one is going to lead to a huge, massive war and unite various factions in the middle east to work together like nothing before. This is bad for the United States interests in the region, and for our troops who are next door in Iraq and vulnerable to Iranian military attacks.

Why people (and countries I suppose) are so afraid to talk to Iran and attempt diplomacy and are ready to rush to war is beyond me. Let diplomacy fail entirely before we begin considering yet another war which will prove to be costly to both sides.. It's still early in the game, and we have time to stop this without war before it's too late.

Time is running out, though, and the longer we try to stand here with a tough face and refuse to talk to them, the harder it's going to be to avoid conflict over the issue.

[Pro Street]

It's going to happen, the war I mean.. it could be now, next week, next year, or 5 years.

but within 10 years the "West vs East" or "Judeo-Christian vs Muslim" in a sense, will happen.

However, the article says the information was released.. I view this more of a threat to do action than a plan.

and if we're going to end up involved, hell another 20,000 to 40,000 ready for quick deployment would be a nice coincidence.

[JaJae]

Originally Posted by Pro Street

It's going to happen, the war I mean.. it could be now, next week, next year, or 5 years.

I agree. It's gonna happen regardless. Not that I approve of this, but better get it over with now before they go nuclear and advance any further.

And I think if Israel was actually gonna do it, they wouldn't announce it first. This is more of a warning, a deep threat that may or may not have teeth. Israel has learned the UN is a joke, now it's taking matters into it's own hands. This is what a pacifist world union results to...

[7960]

If the plans are secret how does anyone know about them? :bullshit:



IMO tis is made-up. I wouldn't be surprised if israel actually does have plans to pre-emptively attack iran but not with nukes. Hell, they still haven't even really admitted they have nukes.

Again, story is :bullshit:

[Diamond Cross]

Well, eventually the tensions will come to a head.

[Tyr-Ziu Saxnot]

Originally Posted by JaJae

I agree. It's gonna happen regardless. Not that I approve of this, but better get it over with now before they go nuclear and advance any further.

And I think if Israel was actually gonna do it, they wouldn't announce it first. This is more of a warning, a deep threat that may or may not have teeth. Israel has learned the UN is a joke, now it's taking matters into it's own hands. This is what a pacifist world union results to...

I agree, Iran by its actions will force the war sooner or later.
I hope Israel attacks sooner rather than later.
Yesterday or last week would have been ok by me.

I doubt Israel will use tactical nuke in a preemptive attack.
I believe American military should aid Israel in striking Iran first.
In fact we should send a volley of missiles hitting Iran's nukebuilding sites
in conjunction with an Israeli strike.
Diplomacy with Iran's political/religious leaders is the height of folly.
They will just play for time as they have already been doing.
Time to complete the building of useable nukes.
Why give them the time? We know what they intend to due and we know they intend to use a nuke to strike Israel with FIRST!
Of course we could just let them strike Israel first then we strike them but then we would still face the same criticism as if we had conducted a preemptive strike. Then of course hundreds of thousands of Israelis would be dead.
I say stop the fanatical enemy before it has the capability to murder millions with nukes. The very thing that the Iranian leader" my-mood I'M in a jihad " has openly declared to do.
Do what Patton or Puller would have suggested- strike firstest with the mostest!-TZS

[Stylerod]

To think that Israel, the US, Iran, Russia, Germany, Canada etc doesn't make "plans" for all kinds of stuff that would make us go is just ignorant. Panicking because they have made plans is just plain stupid.

[PetriW]

Originally Posted by Stylerod

To think that Israel, the US, Iran, Russia, Germany, Canada etc doesn't make "plans" for all kinds of stuff that would make us go is just ignorant. Panicking because they have made plans is just plain stupid.

Indeed, I bet you 50 bucks the Iran invasion plan is long since done. Just like the US had plans if for the event of a war with Russia, they even had plans to defend countries which were neutral.