Israel's IDF training ‘intensely’ to strike Iranian nuclear facilities: Report

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been undergoing intense military training for a possible strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Israeli television Channel 12 reported Thursday. This comes after in April, this year, Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen h warned in a statement to  press that a “b” Iran nuclear deal negotiated between United States and Iran “will send region spiralling into war.” Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi has now ordered to set aside an ditional defense budget for war reiness and military exercises.

“Israel will not allow Iran to attain nuclear arms. Iran has no immunity anywhere. Our planes can reach everywhere in Middle East – and certainly Iran,” Cohen h said earlier, in clear warnings to Islamic Republic. 

[Israel Air Force's F-15 fighter jets of twin tale 133 squron fly above Ovda Air Base. Image: AP]

Israel Air Force 'simulating' airstrikes on Iran 

Israel Air Force has been simulating airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, Channel 12 reported, although no official source was cited. It also remains unclear if military drills were undertaken, were simulated, or being rehearsed. state television network claimed that Naftali Bennet’s ministration has allocated close to $1.5 billion, or NIS 5 billion, with ditional funding of $620 million [NIS 2 billion] in 2022 defense budget for striking Iran. Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz, meanwhile, also told Hebrew press that Tel Aviv ramped up military budget in order to conduct possible air raids on Iranian nuclear sites. Kohvi labelled funding as essential for Israeli military’s “operational plans” against Islamic Republic. 

Israel is currently hosting Blue Flag 2021 military exercise with Germany, Italy, Britain, France, India, Greece, and US Air Force. 

He of UN's nuclear watchdog, h earlier warned, that Iran has commenced enriching uranium at purity levels that “only countries making bombs are reaching”. director-general of International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, in a statement termed situation as “very concerning,” ding that Iran was enriching uranium to a degree that “requires a vigilant eye.” A country enriching at 60 percent " is a serious thing," IAEA director-general said. He warned that 60% was almost "weapons-gre" as commercial enrichment was approximately two or three percent. 

In aftermath of electrical grid compromise earlier this year at Natanz atomic site, which Iran’s Hassan Rouhani called an act of ‘nuclear terrorism,’ Iran, meanwhile, swore to install anor 1,000 centrifuges with 50 percent more capacity to enrichment machines, in dition to replacing damaged ones. Islamic Republic blamed Israel’s spy agency Moss for launching an attack on key facility in Isfahan Province. 

[In this image, me from video released by state-run TV station Islamic Republic Iran Brocasting, various centrifuge machines line a hall at Natanz Uranium Enrichment Facility. Image: IRIB via AP]

Iran’s nuclear program 'has hit a watershed moment', says Israel PM 

Tel-Aviv has been extremely critical about US-negotiated JCPOA arrangement with Iran. n-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel h strongly backed former-US President Donald Trump's unilateral decision of secretly circumventing deal alleging that Iran h failed to here to terms listed in contract and has been stockpiling nuclear weaponry. 

At 76th United Nations General Assembly, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett stressed that Iran’s nuclear program "has hit a watershed moment, and so has our [Israel's] tolerance." “Words do not stop centrifuges from spinning," Israeli leer said. Iran's great goal is crystal clear to anybody who cares to open ir eyes: Iran seeks to dominate region — and seeks to do so under a nuclear umbrella," Bennett said. Calling Iran’s new president, Ebrahim Raisi, “butcher of Tehran," Bennett said that Israel is a 'lighthouse in a stormy sea' of volatile Mideast, as he warned world about threat of terrorism emerging out of country. 

Image: AP/Twitter/@IDF