Israel Says Its Window to Attack Iran Is Closing Due to Russian Support

Israeli officials have been threatening they will attack Iran, and the US has said Israel can do what it needs against the country

Israeli officials are claiming Russia might provide Iran with S-400 air defense systems, and because of that, Israel’s window to launch an attack on Iran is closing, Bloomberg reported on Thursday.

The report cited anonymous people in the US and Israel who said the prospect of Iran acquiring the S-400 system could accelerate plans for an Israeli attack. While Russia and Iran have vowed to increase cooperation, it’s not clear if Moscow has plans to provide Tehran with the S-400 system.

Israeli officials have been openly threatening to attack Iran, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has said Israel was running out of time to do so. The threats are focused on Iran’s nuclear program even though the Pentagon and CIA have acknowledged Tehran is not trying to build a bomb.

“The longer you wait, the harder that becomes,” Netanyahu said of a strike on Iran last week. “We’ve waited very long. I can tell you that I will do everything in my power to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”

While Israeli officials are making constant threats, the US has essentially given Israel the green light to attack Iran. Tom Nides, the US ambassador to Israel, said in February that Israel “can and should do whatever they need” against Iran and that the US has “got their back.” The comments came a few weeks after an Israeli drone attack hit a facility in the Iranian city of Isfahan.

The US and Israel have stepped up their military cooperation and launched their largest-ever joint military drills in January, known as Juniper Oak 23, which involved massive live-fire exercises over Israel and the Mediterranean Sea.

Author: Dave DeCamp

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