Netanyahu: Only Direct Military Threat Can Stop Iran

Israeli Officials Reiterate Willingness to Attack

Speaking today to the BBC, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his support for a military attack on Iran, saying that only repeated threats to attack Iran could ever convince the nation to scrap its civilian nuclear program and claimed that Iran is “close” to acquiring a nuclear weapon.

Israeli officials have been predicting Iran crossing the nuclear threshold for years, but the civilian program has continued to use its stockpile of civilian enriched uranium for civilian purposes, constantly pushing back these “deadlines” imposed by Israel.

National Security Minister Yuval Steinitz echoed Netanyahu’s sentiment in other comments today, demanding the international community set a specific deadline for the beginning of the war with Iran.

Iranian Army Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi dismissed the threats, saying Iran doesn’t believe Israel is sincere in its constant threats to attack and that the “bluster” should not be taken too seriously.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.