Things are heating up in the inevitable confrontation between Israel and Iran. The Iranians have moved their Shahab-3B missiles into positions that may just be able to hit the suspected location of Israeli nuclear weapons. Here's the details from TimesOnline:
Now, what Jafari is saying might just sound pretty impressive and ominous but umm...let's look at this from the end of the article:
The ultimate cat and mouse is shaping up and there is one option to this standoff that I have not seen proposed by anyone. And that is, when the time is drawing nearer and nearer for the Israelis to attempt their knockout of nukes in Iran, Iran might just turn the tables and conduct a preemptive strike on Israel. Israel and the U.S. are building contingency plans for the Iranian response to an Israeli/U.S. attack, but if the Iranians were to strike first with the Shabab missiles into the heart of Israel with coinciding attacks from Hezbollah and Hamas, it could very well force the Israelis to call off the nuclear targeted attack and pull back for defense purposes.
One other thing I am convinced of - when there is an Israeli attack, it will NOT come at the predicted time - it will be as unexpected as the attack on Syria.
The movement of Shahab-3B missiles, which have an estimated range of more than 1,250 miles, followed a large-scale exercise earlier this month in which the Israeli air force flew en masse over the Mediterranean in an apparent rehearsal for a threatened attack on Iran’s nuclear installations. Israel believes Iran’s nuclear programme is aimed at acquiring nuclear weapons.
The sources said Iran was preparing to retaliate for any onslaught by firing missiles at Dimona, where Israel’s own nuclear weapons are believed to be made.
Major-General Mohammad Jafari, the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, told a Tehran daily: “This country [Israel] is completely within the range of the Islamic Republic’s missiles. Our missile power and capability are such that the Zionist regime – despite all its abilities – cannot confront it.”
Now, what Jafari is saying might just sound pretty impressive and ominous but umm...let's look at this from the end of the article:
President George Bush has approved the linking of Israel to a US infrared satellite detection system that could spot Shahab missile launches within seconds.
This should enable the Israeli air force to destroy such missiles in the booster stage. The system will also give the Israelis about 15 minutes to seek shelter before any warhead hits.
The ultimate cat and mouse is shaping up and there is one option to this standoff that I have not seen proposed by anyone. And that is, when the time is drawing nearer and nearer for the Israelis to attempt their knockout of nukes in Iran, Iran might just turn the tables and conduct a preemptive strike on Israel. Israel and the U.S. are building contingency plans for the Iranian response to an Israeli/U.S. attack, but if the Iranians were to strike first with the Shabab missiles into the heart of Israel with coinciding attacks from Hezbollah and Hamas, it could very well force the Israelis to call off the nuclear targeted attack and pull back for defense purposes.
One other thing I am convinced of - when there is an Israeli attack, it will NOT come at the predicted time - it will be as unexpected as the attack on Syria.
Iran ready to strike at Israel’s nuclear heart
Iran has moved ballistic missiles into launch positions, with Israel’s Dimona nuclear plant among the possible targets, defence sources said last week
An editorial in a government newspaper, Jomhouri Eslami, said: “Our response will hit right at their temple.”
The sabre-rattling coincided with a visit to Israel yesterday by the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, for talks with his Israeli opposite number, Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi. This intensified speculation that Israel was seeking US approval for a possible attack on Iran.
“Although the visit had been planned well in advance, we got the feeling he was coming to make sure we’ll obey the strict timetable agreed with the US,” said an Israeli defence source. He refused to elaborate.
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