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Source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hwmDqdrKrkY5csBKn1BzzaL-mgJQ
WikiLeaks: Israel Has Only 12-Minute Warning If Iran Attacks
(AFP) Israel's army chief Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi told a U.S. Congressional delegation he was preparing for a large war in the Middle East, probably against Hamas or Hizbullah, according to a WikiLeaks document dated November 15, 2009, quoted Sunday in Norway's Aftenposten. "I am preparing the Israeli army for a large-scale war, since it is easier to scale down to a smaller operation than to do the opposite." "The rocket threat against Israel is more serious than ever. That is why Israel is putting such emphasis on rocket defense," Ashkenazi said. Iran has some 300 Shihab rockets that can reach Israel and stressed that the Jewish state would have only between 10 and 12 minutes warning in case of an attack. "Israel is on a collision course also with Hamas, which rules Gaza." "Hamas will have the possibility to bombard Tel Aviv, with Israel's highest population concentration." Israel next time will not accept "any restrictions on warfare in populated areas," and he insisted the army had never intentionally attacked civilian targets.