Report: U.S. wants Iran strike by 2007

Saudi paper al-Watan quotes Pentagon report that says U.S. has list of 31 Iranian nuclear sites marked for destruction; experts recommend attack before Iran reaches point of no return in January 2007; according to report, Israel will not take direct part in any proposed military action, but will be allowed to respond if attacked

Roee Nahmias
Published: 02.19.06, 14:41 / Israel News

The United States and its allies have marked 31 sites in Iran as targets for a possible strike, which – in the event it takes place – will last between five days and a week, Saudi-based al-Watan newspaper wrote in a report based on Pentagon reports and intelligence data from other western countries.

U.S. Prepares

U.S. drawing up plans for Iran attack / Associated Press

London-based Sunday Telegraph says American Central Command, Strategic Command planners were ‘identifying targets, assessing weapon-loads and working on logistics for an operation’; U.N. nuclear watchdog agency strips most surveillance equipment from Iranian nuclear sites

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According to al-Watan, Israel will not take a direct part in any proposed military action, but the American administration has nevertheless decided to allow the country to respond if it is subjected to a ballistic attack from Iran.

The newspaper claimed it holds a report compiled by the intelligence wing of the American air force that indicates the United States has marked 23 nuclear sites in Iran as designated for a strike, and that intelligence bodies from other states added another eight facilities to the list, which now totals 31 potential targets.

Danger o radioactive contamination

Al-Watan further reported that American experts have warned that strikes must take place this year, and that in any case they should not be postponed to later than January 2007; after this date, Iran is expected to reach the point of no return when its nuclear facilities will contain radioactive materials.

If these sites are attacked, such materials may leak and endanger civilians living in the area, as well as any one else who comes in contact with them.

The Saudi paper claimed that the Pentagon recently approached American and European research centers and asked them to evaluate the possible Iranian response such a strike may trigger.

The American report estimated that an attack on Iran will result in a military confrontation of about six months, but that the number of casualties in case of an Iranian response will be relatively low.

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