An article published in the American newspaper The New York Times, yesterday, Monday, discussed all the possible targets of the Israeli strike.
The article discussed the growing concern within the United States and Israel about a possible Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilitiesknowing that Israeli forces It has been preparing for such a scenario for years, but it remains uncertain whether Israel would act on its own without American support.
Although Israel Conducted exercises simulating long-range strikes, successfully inflicting heavy damage onIranian nuclear program It would be more likely with US assistance, especially through the use of specialized bunker-buster bombs.
Officials urged Pentagon And the president Joe Biden Israel urged to avoid striking nuclear or energy sites, and called for a proportionate response to Iranian attacks.
There is a growing call within Israel, led by figures such as the former prime minister Naftali Bennettto seize the opportunity and strike now, given the progress made by Iran in the nuclear program and its regional allies, such as Hezbollah andagitation.
While Israel may target some military or intelligence sites, attacking Iran’s highly fortified nuclear facilities will be much more difficult.
The previous operations, e.g Cyber attacks Sabotage, however, has slowed Iran’s progress Iran It rebuilt and continued its enrichment activities. Moreover, any strike could prompt Iran to accelerate its efforts to build a bomb.
Another concern is that RussiaUnder the pressure of its war in Ukrainemay provide technical nuclear assistance to Iran, complicating diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
In addition, new underground facilities that Iran is developing may make it difficult for Israel or the United States to launch an effective strike.
The newspaper suggested that Israel would focus its first response to the Iranian missile strikes on… Military basesAnd maybe some sites Intelligence or Drivingsay officials.
At least initially, it seems unlikely that Israel will target Iranian nuclear facilities, which appear to be subsequent targets if the Iranians escalate their attacks with counterattacks.
The Israeli response and Iranian nuclear facilities:
- Israeli Preparedness: For more than 22 years, Israel has prepared for a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, conducting training exercises and planning long-range missions.
- Uncertainty about success: Despite preparations, Israeli officials express doubts about the success of the attack without US help, especially targeting Iran’s heavily fortified nuclear sites.
- US concerns: President Joe Biden and the Pentagon warned Israel against striking nuclear or energy facilities, and urged proportionate responses to avoid escalating tensions in the region.
- Calls for immediate action: Some Israeli leaders, such as Naftali Bennett, are pushing for an immediate strike to weaken Iran’s nuclear program, citing current geopolitical conditions as favorable.
- Challenges in striking Iranian nuclear sites: Israel’s ability to destroy major Iranian nuclear sites such as Natanz and Fordow is limited due to deep underground facilities that require American bunker-buster bombs.
- Risks of Escalation: A strike against Iran could provoke Iran to accelerate the development of its nuclear weapons, especially if it feels trapped or weak after losing support from its regional allies such as Hezbollah.
- Cyber sabotage and covert operations: Previous Israeli-US operations, such as the Stuxnet cyberattack, delayed Iran’s nuclear progress, but Iran has rebuilt and continued its program ever since.
- Growing Nuclear Threat: Iran has enriched enough uranium to make several bombs and is developing new underground enrichment facilities, making future strikes more difficult.
- Russia’s role: Concerns have grown that Russia may be providing Iran with technical nuclear assistance, further complicating efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
- Diplomatic disputes between the United States and Israel: While some American officials advocate for diplomacy, others believe that a strike on the Iranian nuclear program is a necessary option, leading to an ongoing debate.
