Israel 'Alone' To Fight Iran And Prevent Nuclear Ambitions

Minister says US will never attack Iran nuclear facilities; Israel may act alone

TOI STAFF

A Likud minister close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday the US will never attack Iran’s nuclear program, and Israel will have to decide whether to launch such a strike alone or come to terms with a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic.

The statement came as tensions heated in the Middle East, with Iran ramping up its nuclear program with ongoing violations of its 2015 deal with world powers, and the US and Israel issuing threats and warnings.

Some of the activity is tied to the changing of the guard at the White House. The Trump administration stepped up its pressure on Iran as its tenure drew to a close, while the Biden administration is expected to take a softer approach, despite opposition from Israel and its other regional allies.

“The United States will never attack the nuclear facilities in Iran. Israel must decide whether it will accept a nuclear Iran,” Tzachi Hanegbi told the Kan public broadcaster. “Israel will be forced to act independently to remove this danger.”

“It’s possible that in the future there will be no choice [but to attack Iran militarily],” Hanegbi said. “I hope that when our leadership is met with this dilemma, it won’t accept [a nuclear-armed Iran].”

Hanegbi said the Iranians have proved to have a “very limited” capacity to retaliate against Israel. The Jewish state has waged an air campaign against Iranian-linked targets in Syria in recent years without any serious repercussions. Tehran also swore revenge for the killing of its top nuclear scientist last year, blaming Israel for the assassination, but has not yet followed through on the threat.

Hanegbi made similar comments last month, when he threatened that Israel could attack Iran’s nuclear program if the United States rejoined the nuclear deal, as US President-elect Joe Biden has indicated he plans to do, in one of the most forceful recent statements on the issue by an Israeli official.

“If the United States government rejoins the nuclear deal — and that seems to be the stated policy as of now — the practical result will be that Israel will again be alone against Iran, which by the end of the deal will have received a green light from the world, including the United States, to continue with its nuclear weapons program,” Hanegbi said.