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Israel "plans'' strike against Iran

Hasan Suroor

Air force squadrons training to "blow up'' a plant at Natanz

LONDON: Israel is planning to launch a nuclear strike against Iran to knock out its controversial uranium enrichment facilities, The Sunday Times has reported.

In a front-page splash, the newspaper claimed that Israel had drawn up "secret plans'' to destroy Tehran's nuclear sites and that two air force squadrons were already training to "blow up'' a plant at Natanz using low-yield nuclear "bunker-busters.''

Two other "prime targets'' were a nuclear conversion facility near Isfahan, and a heavy water reactor at Arak, it said.

Quoting unnamed Israeli military sources, the report said conventional laser-guided bombs would open up "tunnels'' into the targets and "mini-nukes'' would immediately be fired.

Awaiting green light

These would explode "deep underground'' to reduce the risk of radioactive fallout.

One source was reported as saying: "As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished.''

The newspaper, which was the first to report on Israel's nuclear programme when an Israeli scientist leaked the details to it, said Israeli and American officials had met several times to consider military action.

"The plans disclosed to The Sunday Times have been prompted in part by the Israeli intelligence Mossad's assessment that Iran is on the verge of producing enough enriched uranium to make nuclear weapons within two years,'' it said adding that the disclosure could be intended to put pressure on Iran.

The report came barely weeks after U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates stopped short of ruling out military action against Iran describing it as a "last resort.''

In the past, Americans have maintained that all "options'' are on the table to force Iran to give up its nuclear programme. Britain has consistently denied plans to use force against Iran.

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