Israel to focus on key Iran nuclear targets in any strike

Reuters ^ | April 2, 2010 | Dan Williams

[myknowledge]

Should Israel attack Iranian nuclear facilities, it would probably carry out precision strikes while making every effort not to hit the oil sector or other civilian sites.

Past Israeli operations, such as the 1981 bombing of Iraq's Osirak atomic reactor and a similar sortie against Syria in 2007, suggest a strategy of one-off pinpoint raids, due both to military limitations and a desire to avoid wider war.

A simulation at the Brookings Institution in Washington last December theorized that Israel, intent on halting what the West suspects is Tehran's covert quest for atomic arms, would launch a sneak attack against half a dozen nuclear facilities in Iran.

Israel might then argue the mission "had created a terrific opportunity for the West to pressure Iran, weaken it, and possibly even undermine the regime," Brookings expert Kenneth Pollack wrote in a summary of the wargame, though he saw little chance of the Obama administration looking kindly on this tack.

[myknowledge]

This handout satellite image of the Natanz Uranium Enrichment plant in Iran, taken June 11, 2007, shows the facility being built by Iran with a new tunnel facility inside a mountain near a key nuclear complex.

For the Israeli Air Force, this is a task an order of magnitude more challenging than Operation Opera back in '81.

It consists of multiple underground installations protected by AAA and SAM batteries, and the airspace is defended by MiGs, F-4s, F-5s and F-14s.

A lot of resources such as fuel and munitions would be expended in the mission.

The pilots would have to eliminate each target in one strike, otherwise concentrating on a single target would buy the Iranians time to bolster their defenses.

More of a concern would be the eventual political and diplomatic fallout following the air and missile strikes, let alone the Iranian reaction.

Look out Iran! Here we come!

[Cricket24]

Israel should just go ahead and take them out. Nobody else will do it especially the Obama crowd!

[mlocher]

... though he saw little chance of the Obama administration looking kindly on this tack.

Duh!

[Spok]

Through calculated leaks to the MSM, the IDF is laying the PR groundwork for a strike. The idiots in the MSM can be useful, even to the good guys on ocassion.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Consideration should also be given to taking out the seat of government. Otherwise the thing will just metastasize again.

[trickyricky]

This will not be ANYTHING like Iraq or Syria.
If it were, Israel would have done it long ago.

Bunker buster bombs aren't going to get the job done.
They are going to pilloried for one bomb or a thousand, so they might as well do it right.
Give the Russians a week to get out of Dodge, and vaporize Iran's entire nuclear infrastructure.

[trickyricky]

I'd be willing to ride 'er down, if I could take the old lady with me.

[bunkerhill7]

Israel to focus on key Iran urban turban targets in any strike

[hennie pennie]

I wonder why al-Reuters keeps harping on the ins & outs of an Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities???? Isn’t this about the dozenth such report by “our friends” at al-Reuters????

[onedoug]

Too much talk. Just do it.

[SunkenCiv]

while making every effort not to hit the oil sector

The raid should be made on every mosque in Iran, during their "prayers" -- erase the local support for the regime.

[SJackson]

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[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

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[left that other site]

Beautiful Aircraft!

[myknowledge]

Yes, quality U.S. built aircraft.