TARGET IRAN: U.S., Israel Practice Striking Nuke Facilities
NOTE TO READERS: Each week, The Trends Journal magazine provides its subscribers with news analysis and trend forecasts without any corporate influence. We answer only to our subscribers. Please consider signing up here.
The U.S. joined Israel in aerial military drills to simulate an “operational scenario and long distance flight,” which could easily be translated to an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) took to Twitter to announce the drills that included its own IAF F-35i “Adir” aircraft, accompanied four American F-15 fighter jets over Israeli airspace. An American KC-135 refueling aircraft also joined the exercises.
“The IDF Intelligence Directorate conducted an extensive simulation replicating campaign against distant countries, testing the IDF’s abilities of intelligence gathering, target determination and outlining, and making intelligence available to operational forces,” the IDF said. “These exercises are a key component of our two militaries’ increasing strategic cooperation in response to shared concerns in the Middle East, particularly those posed by Iran.”
The Times of Israel reported that Prime Minister Yair Lapid observed part of the exercise from the IFA’s underground control center where he discussed the Iranian threat with military leaders. The U.S. State Department and Pentagon did not immediately respond to an email inquiry from The Trends Journal.
The paper said the drills were ironed out during a recent trip to Washington by Aviv Kohavi, the IDF chief.
Benny Gantz, the outgoing Israeli defense minister, said in an interview last week that Tel Aviv has the military power to wipe out Tehran’s nuclear facilities, but should only carry out such an attack as a last resort.
He told The Jerusalem Post that Benjamin Netanyahu, who earlier this month secured a mandate to form a new government, needs to consider his options “carefully.”
“Israel has the ability to act in Iran,” he said. “We have the readiness, development capabilities, and long-term plans we are managing. We need to prepare for this possibility, and we will also need to consider this issue very carefully before carrying it out.”
TRENDPOST: The Trends Journal has reported extensively on Israel’s preparation for a large-scale war with Iran, including a three-week exercise over the Mediterranean last May called “Chariots of Fire.”
Reports have indicated that an Israeli strike on an Iranian nuclear facility would likely involve a specialized F-35 that can carry the munitions needed to penetrate these facilities. The fifth-generation fighter has stealth capabilities.
Earlier this month, Tzachi Hanegbi, a longtime Netanyahu ally, said in an interview that he believes his pal would act to “destroy the nuclear facilities in Iran” if the U.S. fails to secure a nuke deal with Tehran.