Israeli Military Presents Government With Plans to Strike Iran

The IDF says it's hard to determine what the consequences of attacking Iran would be

The Israeli military has presented Israeli leadership with several possible scenarios for striking targets in Iran, Haaretz reported on Tuesday.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) has received a budget boost of $2.9 billion to prepare for attacks on Iran. As part of its preparations, the IDF has conducted air force drills, acquired advanced weaponry, and collected data for new strike targets.

Israeli military officials told Haaretz that the IDF would be able to strike Iran as soon as the government gave the order. But the IDF stresses that it is difficult to determine the outcome and consequences of bombing Iran and how such strikes would impact Tehran’s civilian nuclear program.

The report comes amid renewed negotiations in Vienna to revive the Iran nuclear deal, known as the JCPOA. Since the talks resumed, Israeli officials have been threatening to attack Iran and are warning Israel could act alone, without support from the US.

But most of Iran’s nuclear facilities that Israel wants to strike were built deep underground, and Israel lacks bombs with bunker-busting capabilities that would be needed to hit the Iranian nuclear sites. Israel also lacks bombers that could carry such munitions.

Israel is seeking a tanker plane from the US that would make it easier for Israeli warplanes to travel to and from Iran. But Washington has reportedly told Israel the aircraft won’t be delivered until at least 2024.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.