Israel will be resolved to use Turkish air space to attack Tehran’s nuclear facilities, says a prominent US political strategist.
In a recent political panel, Charles Krauthammer ruled out the possibility of Israeli warplanes flying through US-controlled Iraqi airspace to launch potential air strikes on the Islamic Republic and claimed that Tel Aviv would most likely opt to use Turkish air space instead.
He claimed that Israel would bomb the Iranian uranium enrichment infrastructure in the same manner it bombed Syria in September 2007.
“The Israelis would not attack (Iran) over Iraq. The way to go is through Turkey…When Israel attacked the reactor in Syria, it went up the Mediterranean and through Turkish air space,” Hurriyet quoted Krauthammer as saying.
Recent reports of Israel beefing up military preparations have fueled speculation that Tel Aviv intends to stage its third attack on Middle Eastern countries over nuclear allegations. Israel had earlier attacked Iraq and Syria, claiming that they sought to attain nuclear weapons technology.
The Sunday Times reported Sunday that Israeli squadron leaders are conducting dress rehearsals in the Negev desert in preparation for air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
According to Israeli officials, however, Tel Aviv was “warned” this week against striking Iran before US President-elect Barack Obama takes office in January.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was quick to deny the report, saying that Washington never rejected Tel Aviv’s request to take military action against Iran.
“I don’t remember that anyone in the administration, including in the last couple of days, advised me or any other of my official representatives not to take any action that we will deem necessary for the fundamental security of the state of Israel, and that includes Iran,” Olmert said on Tuesday.
Israeli preparations for military action come after the release of the latest report on Tehran by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is the UN agency pertinent to the Iranian nuclear program.
The UN body says it has “been able to continue to verify the non-diversion of declared nuclear material in Iran”.
The agency, however, insists that unless Tehran increases its cooperation with the agency, the UN body “will not be able to provide credible assurance about the absence of undeclared nuclear material and activities in Iran”.
