Israeli Air Force ready to attack Iran nuke sites

Tel Aviv, Nov 20: The Israeli Air Force has said that it is ready to attack Iran's suspected nuclear weapons project if diplomacy fails to persuade that country to halt uranium enrichment.

Fox News quoted Air Force Commander Ido Nehushtan as telling the German magazine Der Spiegel in an interview: "We are prepared and ready to do whatever Israel needs us to do and if this is the mission we're given, then we are ready." A strike against Iran's nuclear facilities "is a political decision," the IAF commander said, "but if I understand it correctly, all options are on the table ... The Air Force is a very robust and flexible force. We are ready to do whatever is demanded of us."

Asked if the Israeli military would be able to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities, which are spread around the country, with some built underground, Nehushtan said, "Please understand that I do not want to get into details. I can only say this: It is not a technical or logistical question."

The Jewish state, widely believed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal, has said it will not tolerate an Iranian nuclear bomb and has refused to rule out a military option.

Iran, which has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction, said on Tuesday it aimed to commission its first nuclear power plant in 2009. Tehran insists the program has only civilian aims.

ANI