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Israel rehearses strike on Iran nuclear sites
London Telegraph ^
| 6-20-08
| Tim Butcher
Posted on 06/20/2008 1:33:54 PM PDT by rdl6989
As many as 100 F16 and F15 warplanes were involved in flying long-range missions as part of the operation
While Israeli officials remained silent on the matter today, sources in Washington at the Pentagon and other US government agencies confirmed that the exercise was staged two weeks ago over the eastern Mediterranean.
The target of the exercise was 900 miles from Israel, roughly the same distance as Iran's nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz.
A Pentagon official told the New York Times the exercise was deliberately designed by Israel to send a clear signal about the seriousness of its intentions towards Iran.
"They wanted us to know, they wanted the Europeans to know, and they wanted the Iranians to know," the official said.
"There's a lot of signalling going on at different levels."
As many as 100 F16 and F15 warplanes were involved in flying long-range missions supported by air refuelling tankers. They were alongside specially configured Israeli helicopters with long-range fuel tanks which practised rescuing downed combat aircrew.
The exercise, in the first week of June, came as President George W Bush and Ehud Olmert, Israeli prime minister, both used the same language in public to put pressure on Tehran, saying that a nuclear Iran was "unacceptable".
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Israel; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: airstrikes; bombiran; drill; iran; iraniannukes; israel; nukes; proliferation; rehearsal
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To: RightWhale
Now they might have some of our F-22 Raptors mixed in there.
21
posted on
06/20/2008 1:48:18 PM PDT
by
unkus
To: Popman
To: Bon mots
They better do it while Bush is still in office.
23
posted on
06/20/2008 1:50:37 PM PDT
by
maizey
(maizey)
To: Virginia Ridgerunner
They have 7 KC-707/135's..
24
posted on
06/20/2008 1:51:22 PM PDT
by
Robe
(Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
To: unkus
If Iran attacks, that would be beyond doubt. Otherwise nobody will be moving.
25
posted on
06/20/2008 1:51:27 PM PDT
by
RightWhale
(I will veto each and every beer)
To: Virginia Ridgerunner
Is there some reason the addition (if any) information couldn’t have been posted to the existing thread?
26
posted on
06/20/2008 1:52:22 PM PDT
by
ASA Vet
To: Bon mots
He knows, but is in denial, that the 12th imam won’t be appearing inside Iran and has already appeared in Egypt nearly 40 years ago.
27
posted on
06/20/2008 1:53:27 PM PDT
by
RightWhale
(I will veto each and every beer)
To: Popman
Der Slickmeister hired loyal psychophants and political hacks to fill out his team. Reno, Allbright, Burglar, Lake, etc. Oh, and the dimwit algore.
President Bush hired the best and the brightest to be his Vice President, SECDEF, National Security Adviser, etc.
B. Hussein Obama would hire a Pooh Bear philosopher.
Is there really a rational question as to who to vote for?
28
posted on
06/20/2008 1:58:00 PM PDT
by
Jacquerie
(Vote McCain - It's better to hold your nose than grab your ankles.)
To: rdl6989
They were alongside specially configured Israeli helicopters with long-range fuel tanks which practised rescuing downed combat aircrew.
Not sure if "alongside" is quite the right word for a helo/fast-mover mix. Perhaps "orbiting overhead?
If the Israelis are going to do CSAR for a strike like this, they need to have some kind of operating base for the helos that's a LOT closer to the target than Israel. The helos can't keep up with the strike packages, so its either send them out earlier (which is risky given the danger of revealing that a strike is inbound), base them closer (but Israel doesn't have closer bases) or accept that if a pilot is shot down the helos (and the helos aircover) won't show up for a good long while, and won't have much time on station.
Makes me wonder if there's a USN CVN or LHA/LHD in the Eastern Med right now ... along with the one(s) presumably stationed in the Persian Gulf.
To: rdl6989
Too late.
Iran’s nuke sites are dispersed and under inpenetrable protection.
Israel’s days are numbered.
To: Virginia Ridgerunner
31
posted on
06/20/2008 2:03:58 PM PDT
by
1COUNTER-MORTER-68
(THROWING ANOTHER BULLET-RIDDLED TV IN THE PILE OUT BACK~~~~~)
To: rdl6989
32
posted on
06/20/2008 2:05:02 PM PDT
by
Paperdoll
( on the cutting edge)
To: RightWhale
I thought the 12th Imam was busy running for POTUS here in AmeriKKKa this year with his hateful wife.
To: Two Kids' Dad
That would be a good guess except that the party in question is already out there doing maadi things.
34
posted on
06/20/2008 2:10:43 PM PDT
by
RightWhale
(I will veto each and every beer)
To: Virginia Ridgerunner
They have 6 or 7 KC-135's, and they can use ours as well.
35
posted on
06/20/2008 2:12:46 PM PDT
by
gura
(R-MO)
To: ASA Vet
Why are you getting your shorts in a wad over a posted second article with more details and a different title? Just curious...
36
posted on
06/20/2008 2:12:54 PM PDT
by
Virginia Ridgerunner
("We must not forget that there is a war on and our troops are in the thick of it!"--Duncan Hunter)
To: LowTaxesEqualProsperity
"Too late.
Irans nuke sites are dispersed and under inpenetrable protection.
Israels days are numbered. Too late: Possibly
Nuke sites dispersed & inpenetrable: true and possible
Israel's days numbered: I doubt that.
37
posted on
06/20/2008 2:23:03 PM PDT
by
StormEye
To: tanknetter
How does Israel get to Iran? How do their helicopters come in to play? WOuld they have to fly over Iraq? I’d think the Iraqi government would be hesitant to give permission at this point. Otherwise, I guess they’ve shown Syria’s air defenses to be wanting- how would Turkey react? How about flying over Saudi Arabia?
38
posted on
06/20/2008 2:33:50 PM PDT
by
philled
("I prefer messy democracy to the stability of tyrants." -- Howar Ziad, Iraqi Ambassador to Canada)
To: Bon mots
Post 5
Go Israel!
Blast them back to the stone age.
In some cases it may be Blast them FORWARD to the stone age.
39
posted on
06/20/2008 2:48:10 PM PDT
by
Freeper
(Do not worry about the world ending today - - - - in New Zealand it is already tomorrow.)
To: Slapshot68
>>>
And of course the world will condemn Israel for it....<<<
As was the case in the Israeli raid on Iraq's Osirak reactor in 1981, the Arab world will vocally condemn the strike - while silently applauding the action.
No middle East country with the possible exception on Syria wants to see Iran with the bomb. They are all afraid to the potential for dominance of the region of an Iran with the bomb....and a nutty Shia theocracy.
40
posted on
06/20/2008 2:55:16 PM PDT
by
HardStarboard
(Take No Prisoners - We're Out Of Qurans)
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