While Iran’s political and military leaders are not exactly known for making measured, reserved or unprovocative remarks, stating that “Israel could be blown up in a single operation,” would be considered an aggressive comment even for Iranians.

At the same time, Iranian national documents and philosophies do specifically call for the destruction of Israel. Thus, these comments from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Maj. Gen. Hossein Salami align with the kind of well-known, consistent anti-Israel rhetoric coming from Iran.

Hossein’s comments were also filled with hints and suggestions that his forces may have been behind a recent explosion at an Israeli plant for advanced weapons, according to a news report from Al-Monitor. Israel, the report specifies, said the blast hurt no one and took place during a “routine test.”

Hossein, made many references to Israel’s supposed “vulnerabilities” to “domino-style” attacks, according to the report. While easily dismissed as hyperbole in many respects, Hossein’s remarks as quoted by the report introduce a few interesting things to consider. For instance, Israeli is without question very experienced when it comes to the realm of missile defense given its recent history, as it deploys systems such as Iron Dome and other kinds of ground-based systems. This reality might seem to make Israeli less vulnerable to Iran’s large arsenal of ballistic missiles, some of which potentially able to reach Israel should they be maneuvered within range. Israel is about one thousand miles from Iran, a range which is just at the outer limits of the striking distance of most long-range ballistic missiles.

The distance between the two countries speaks to another, even potentially more pressing issue, such as how Iran could actually get close enough to the Israeli border to launch an attack. Iranian ground forces would need to travel through Iraq or Turkey, or somehow cross the Persian Gulf area to deploy on the other side of the Arabian Peninsula. Any approaching Iranian force would, it goes without saying, be highly vulnerable to Israeli air attack. Therefore, apart from the concerning prospect of Iran at some point having nuclear weapons, there do not appear to be a wide sphere of ways Iran might actually be able to attack Israel with any measure of success.

Unless, of course, Iran were to employ terrorist tactics, something by no means beyond the realm of possibility. In fact, small, covert hit-and-run types of terror attacks may be the kind of thing Hossein was referring to by hinting that several targeted strikes could bring down Israel. Added to this equation is the well-known fact that Iran has been, and likely continues to be, a state sponsor of terrorist organizations. However, just as is likely the case with air defenses, Israel is certainly experienced and likely adept at counterterrorism tactics for obvious reasons.

Kris Osborn is the defense editor for the National Interest. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a master’s degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Source: https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/iran-getting-ready-attack-israel-184907

The post Is Iran Getting Ready to Attack Israel? first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Iran, suggesting it will be destroyed if a conflict breaks out between the two countries.

“If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran,” he said in a tweet on Sunday. “Never threaten the United States again!”

The US has deployed additional warships and planes to the Gulf in recent days.

But Mr Trump’s tweet marks a shift in tone after recent attempts to downplay the possibility of military conflict.

In an interview with Fox News broadcast on Sunday, the president vowed that he would not let Iran develop nuclear weapons but said he did not want a conflict.

“I’m not somebody that wants to go into war, because war hurts economies, war kills people most importantly – by far most importantly,” he said.

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Iran has also moved to talk down concerns over the escalating tensions. On Saturday, its foreign minister insisted there was no appetite for war.

“There will not be a war since neither we want a war nor does anyone have the illusion they can confront Iran in the region,” Mohammad Javad Zarif told state news agency Irna.

And on Sunday Iran’s Fars news agency reported that the commander of the elite Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Maj Gen Hossein Salami, also said Iran was not seeking a conflict – but added that the US was “afraid of war and don’t have the will for it”.

President Trump, after appearing to dial down the tensions with Iran, has now seemingly threatened catastrophic consequences if there is any attack against US interests or facilities.

It underscores the mercurial approach of the US president to world affairs – restraint one moment and bluster the next.

Such an approach is hugely destabilizing and could contribute to Tehran misjudging US intentions.

All of the ingredients for a confrontation are there: a lack of clarity in the US approach; the potential desire by Iran to push matters to the brink; and a series of incidents in the region itself (the recent sabotage against a small number of oil tankers and the rocket attack near the US compound in Baghdad) which demonstrate that there are elements on the ground eager to inflame tensions and test the US administration’s resolve.

Why are there tensions?

The latest frictions come after Iran suspended its commitments under the 2015 international nuclear deal, and threatened to resume production of enriched uranium which is used to make reactor fuel and nuclear weapons.

The deal aimed to cut sanctions on Iran in exchange for an end to its nuclear programme, but the US unilaterally withdrew from the agreement last year.

Calling the deal “defective”, Mr Trump then re-imposed sanctions.

Tehran has allegedly placed missiles on boats in the Gulf, and US investigators reportedly believe the country damaged four tankers off the coast of the United Arab Emirates, claims Iran has denied.

What’s the latest in the Gulf?

On Sunday, the Iraqi military said a rocket had been fired into Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone, which houses government buildings and foreign embassies.

It reportedly hit an abandoned building near to the US embassy. There were no casualties and it is not yet clear who was behind the attack.

A State Department spokesman however said the US will hold Iran responsible “if any such attacks are conducted by its proxy militia forces”.

Mr Trump’s threats on Twitter came hours after the first reports of the rocket attack.

In recent days, the US has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier to the region and reportedly drawn up plans to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East.

Diplomatic staff have been ordered to leave Iraq, and the US military have raised the threat level in the region because of alleged intelligence about Iran-backed forces – contradicting a British general who had said there was “no increased threat”.

Dutch and German soldiers said they had suspended their military training programmes in the country.

Separately, Saudi Arabia accused Tehran of a drone attack on a pipeline on Friday. It alleged that Houthi rebels in Yemen conducted the strike on Iran’s orders.

A state-aligned Saudi newspaper called for the US to launch attacks on the country.

Iran denies the allegations.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-48329852

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