- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 210
CBC: http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2007/01/07/israel-iran.html
Israeli officials are denying a report in a British newspaper that they are planning to attack Iranian uranium enrichment facilities with low-yield nuclear weapons.
Quoting "several Israeli military sources," the Sunday Times said that two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up a plant at Natanz using low-yield nuclear "bunker-busters."
An Israeli F-16 warplane takes off for a mission from a base in southern Israel in this 2006 file photo.
(Ariel Schalit/Associated Press) Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev denied the report, saying: "If diplomacy succeeds, the problem can be solved peaceably."
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office declined to comment on the report.
"We don't respond to publications in the Sunday Times," said spokeswoman Miri Eisin.
Iran, which says its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes like generating electricity, responded that any attack would provoke a reaction and that "anyone who attacks will regret their actions very quickly."
Israeli officials are denying a report in a British newspaper that they are planning to attack Iranian uranium enrichment facilities with low-yield nuclear weapons.
Quoting "several Israeli military sources," the Sunday Times said that two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up a plant at Natanz using low-yield nuclear "bunker-busters."
An Israeli F-16 warplane takes off for a mission from a base in southern Israel in this 2006 file photo.
(Ariel Schalit/Associated Press) Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev denied the report, saying: "If diplomacy succeeds, the problem can be solved peaceably."
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office declined to comment on the report.
"We don't respond to publications in the Sunday Times," said spokeswoman Miri Eisin.
Iran, which says its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes like generating electricity, responded that any attack would provoke a reaction and that "anyone who attacks will regret their actions very quickly."
Continue Article
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Ali Husseini told the Jerusalem Post that the report proved that Israel was in possession of nuclear weapons.
"Now this will convince the international community that the main threat to the world, and to our region in particular, is the Zionist regime," Husseini added.
Pilots training: report
According to the plan, conventional laser-guided bombs would open "tunnels" into the targets, the Times reported. "Mini-nukes" would then immediately be fired into the plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.
Low-yield weapons are much smaller than traditonal nuclear bombs, and are thought to cause less damage to surrounding areas.
A uranium conversion facility near Isfahan and a heavy water reactor at Arak would also be targeted.
The report said Israeli pilots have flown to Gibraltar in recent weeks to train for the 3,200-kilometre round trip to the Iranian targets.
"As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished," the Times quotes one source as saying.
The United States and its allies, including Israel, suspect Tehran of secretly trying to produce nuclear weapons.
Although Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, it has never confirmed the reports.
Israeli officials are denying a report in a British newspaper that they are planning to attack Iranian uranium enrichment facilities with low-yield nuclear weapons.
Quoting "several Israeli military sources," the Sunday Times said that two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up a plant at Natanz using low-yield nuclear "bunker-busters."
An Israeli F-16 warplane takes off for a mission from a base in southern Israel in this 2006 file photo.
(Ariel Schalit/Associated Press) Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev denied the report, saying: "If diplomacy succeeds, the problem can be solved peaceably."
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office declined to comment on the report.
"We don't respond to publications in the Sunday Times," said spokeswoman Miri Eisin.
Iran, which says its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes like generating electricity, responded that any attack would provoke a reaction and that "anyone who attacks will regret their actions very quickly."
Israeli officials are denying a report in a British newspaper that they are planning to attack Iranian uranium enrichment facilities with low-yield nuclear weapons.
Quoting "several Israeli military sources," the Sunday Times said that two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up a plant at Natanz using low-yield nuclear "bunker-busters."
An Israeli F-16 warplane takes off for a mission from a base in southern Israel in this 2006 file photo.
(Ariel Schalit/Associated Press) Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev denied the report, saying: "If diplomacy succeeds, the problem can be solved peaceably."
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office declined to comment on the report.
"We don't respond to publications in the Sunday Times," said spokeswoman Miri Eisin.
Iran, which says its nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes like generating electricity, responded that any attack would provoke a reaction and that "anyone who attacks will regret their actions very quickly."
Continue Article
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Ali Husseini told the Jerusalem Post that the report proved that Israel was in possession of nuclear weapons.
"Now this will convince the international community that the main threat to the world, and to our region in particular, is the Zionist regime," Husseini added.
Pilots training: report
According to the plan, conventional laser-guided bombs would open "tunnels" into the targets, the Times reported. "Mini-nukes" would then immediately be fired into the plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.
Low-yield weapons are much smaller than traditonal nuclear bombs, and are thought to cause less damage to surrounding areas.
A uranium conversion facility near Isfahan and a heavy water reactor at Arak would also be targeted.
The report said Israeli pilots have flown to Gibraltar in recent weeks to train for the 3,200-kilometre round trip to the Iranian targets.
"As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished," the Times quotes one source as saying.
The United States and its allies, including Israel, suspect Tehran of secretly trying to produce nuclear weapons.
Although Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons, it has never confirmed the reports.