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Netanyahu Tells U.S. that Israel Will Strike Iranian Military, Not Nuclear or Oil, Targets, Officials Say

(Washington Post) Shira Rubin - When President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke on Oct. 9, the prime minister said he was planning to target military infrastructure in Iran rather than oil or nuclear facilities, according to a U.S. official and an official familiar with the matter. An Israeli strike on Iranian oil facilities could send energy prices soaring, analysts say, while an attack on the country's nuclear program could trigger further escalation and risk a more direct U.S. military role. Netanyahu's stated plan was met with relief in Washington. The Israeli strike on Iran would be carried out before the U.S. elections on Nov. 5, the official familiar with the matter said, because a lack of action could be interpreted by Iran as a sign of weakness. "It will be one in a series of responses," she said. Zohar Palti, a former intelligence director for Israel's Mossad intelligence agency, said, "The Iranians have lost every measure of restraint that they used to have....It is Israel who takes the risks" and "knows how to do the job....When we responded last time, they didn't get the message." While Netanyahu would continue to consult with U.S. officials on Israel's looming strike against Iran, he would not wait for a green light from Washington, said an Israeli official close to the prime minister.
2024-10-15 00:00:00
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