Israel Working on =B4Plan B=B4 to End Iranian Nuclear Threat
17:11 Jan 07, '07 / 17 Tevet 5767
by Hana Levi Julian
The IDF is working on a "Plan B" as a backup in case diplomatic
efforts to convince Iran to abandon its nuclear aspirations fail.
Israel is not waiting to see if diplomatic efforts by the international
community manage to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon, Britain's
Sunday Times reports.
Israel Air Force pilot training programs are in full swing, the paper
says, rehearsing scenarios in which they might be required to take
military action.
Israel totally denied the report. Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev
said that Israel supports the sanctions against Iran, as well as
increased diplomatic efforts to stop Iran.
The Times reports that IDF sources said two IAF squadrons are working
on special plans to destroy a key Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz,
using low-yield "buster bunkers." This strategy is used in
situations where military installations are located underground, as
many of the Hizbullah sites were during the recent war with the
terrorists in Lebanon.
A uranium conversion plant in Isfahan is also named in the report as a
target, as is a heavy water plant at Arak. Both facilities have been in
the news following speeches by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
bragging about the rapid pace of development at the facilities.
The two sites would be hit with conventional bombs in the scenarios
under consideration by the IAF.
The United Nations Security Council passed a unanimous vote last month
to impose sanctions on Iran for its refusal to halt its uranium
enrichment project, albeit some five months later than the sanctions
were originally threatened. The world body had warned Iran more than
eight months ago that it would impose sanctions if the Islamic Republic
did not terminate its program by August 31, 2006.
Ahmadinejad's nuclear development program constitutes a key step in the
development of nuclear energy and is suspected of being used to develop
nuclear weapons in addition to energy for domestic use.
Iran has continued to insist its nuclear development is geared for
peaceful domestic use only. However, the international community is
skeptical, and has therefore imposed the sanctions.
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Published: 09:19 January 07, 2007
Last Update: 17:11 January 07, 2007
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