Israel considers Iran energy strikes despite US objections

Several days have passed without Israeli retaliation against Iran for its major attack on October 1, in which nearly 200 ballistic missiles hit the Tel Aviv area, including strikes on key Israeli air bases. A lot of back-and-forth and conflicting reports later, and the US side trying to “reduce Netanyahu,” Israel says strikes on Iran’s energy facilities are still on the table:

US OFFICIALS ON NBC – ISRAEL SEIZES PRIVATE ENERGY FACILITIES IN IRAN

The news phone sent crude prices higher, as has been the past week’s pattern of threats and counter-threats flying between Tehran and Tel Aviv…

According to the last from Axios: “Netanyahu is refusing to approve Defense Minister Yoav Galant’s planned trip to Washington tonight until he has a phone call with President Biden and until the Israeli cabinet approves a response to Iran’s missile attack.according to a source with knowledge of the details.

The New York Times reported on Monday, based on Israeli officials, that a significant counterattack is still coming and is expected to do so aim Iranian military sites. The new report also lists likely Iranian targets information sites and offices or headquarters of officials. President Biden has warned against striking Iran’s nuclear sites and even days ago rejected the idea of ​​striking energy and oil facilities. Thus a The “debate” still raged domestically as both sides are said to coordinate the response.

Via Commons Wiki

“At least initially, Israel appears unlikely to go after the country’s nuclear crown jewels,” NY Times write. “After considerable debate, those targets appear to have been reserved for later, should the Iranians escalate counterattacks of their own.”

But hawks and those in the Israeli government, who may or may not have Prime Minister Netanyahu’s ear, say the “opportunity” must be seized:

“Israel now has the greatest opportunity in 50 years to change the face of the Middle East,” Naftali Bennett, a hardline nationalist and former prime minister who once described himself as right-wing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, recently wrote on social media. “We must act *now* to destroy Iran’s nuclear programits central energy facilities and to fatally paralyze this terrorist regime”.

He added: “We have the justification. We have the tools. Now that Hezbollah and Hamas are crippled, Iran is exposed.”

But this is very much like the rhetoric that led up to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, but instead of setting in motion, “birth pangs of a new Middle East” — the Iraq war resulted in an estimated one million deaths and casualties, two decades of destabilization, the rise of ISIS, and the rise of a pro-Tehran government in Baghdad.

Interestingly, Washington is now trying to “manage” Israel’s impending attack on Iran, with Biden urging a “proportionate” response, or one that avoids major regional war.

Oddly enough, it seems the US administration is offering Israel “compensation” for its military to only hit US-approved targets. According to a Sunday Jerusalem Post report, “A US official said: “If you don’t hit targets A, B, C, we’ll give you diplomatic protection and a weapons package”.”

“Israeli officials responded by saying, ‘We are taking the United States into consideration and listening to them. But we will do anything and everything we can to protect the citizens and the security of the State of Israel,” the report continues.

Regarding the willingness of some Israeli officials to strike Iran’s nuclear sites hard, a significant practical issue remains: US “bunker busting bombs” are needed to damage underground facilities. Much of Iran’s missile silos are also protected underground. Washington should approve in this case.

US CENTCOM Chief General Michael Kurilla is currently in Israel leading the US-coordinated discussion. To be expected in the post-9/11 world of “eternal wars” in the Middle East, Congress seems completely absent from the conversation as American taxpayer dollars are literally being used to bribe Israel.

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump, on the campaign trail, recently argued that Israel should “Nuke first and worry about the rest later.” This is sure to frustrate and anger much of his base, which has been sick and tired of unauthorized “forever wars” – especially those waged on behalf of foreign powers that have little or nothing to do with defending the US homeland .

By Zerohedge.com

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