Israeli IAF is a ‘Huffin’ and a ‘Puffin’
But is it Real or are Israelis just a ‘Bluffin’
Toward War the Middle East is fast a ‘Rushin’
Back at the Ranch in Truce the Hamas is a ‘Fussin’
While in a state of uncertainty mighty Iran is a ‘Cussin’
And of course far away in the distant north sets a ‘Russian’
While Believers wait to see if Our God soon to be ‘Approachin’
At which time the mouths of all the Unbelievers he’ll be a ‘Hushin’
June 21, 2008
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
The Jerusalem Post and DEBKAfile Articles, which follow, give the latest information on increasing concerns by Iran and the international community on an IAF air strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.
Begin Jerusalem Post Excerpt
‘IAF apparently held Iran strike drill’
June 20, 2008
Jpost.com staff and AP, THE JERUSALEM POST
Israel carried out a major military drill during the first week of June that US sources say was apparently a rehearsal for a potential attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, the News York Times reported Friday.
Several US officials were quoted by the newspaper as saying that it seemed the drill was an effort to develop Israel’s capacity to carry out long-range strikes and to show the gravity with which Israel views the Iranian nuclear issue.
More than 100 IAF F-16 and F-15 fighter jets took part in the exercise, which was carried out over the eastern Mediterranean and over Greece, the officials said.
The drill also included IAF rescues helicopters, said the officials, adding that the helicopters and refueling tankers flew more than 900 miles, which is approximately the distance between Israel and Iran’s uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.
The IDF wouldn’t confirm or deny the report.
The army issued a statement saying only that the IAF “regularly trains for various missions in order to confront and meet the challenges posed by the threats facing Israel.
”
Nevertheless, a senior Pentagon official, who the Times claimed was briefed on the drill, and who spoke on condition
of anonymity, said it appeared to serve multiple purposes.
One aim, according to the official, was to practice flight tactics, aerial refueling and all other details of a possible attack on Iran’s nuclear sites and its long-range missiles.
A second goal, the official was quoted by the Times as saying, was to give a clear message to the US and the rest of the world that Israel was prepared to attack Iran if diplomatic efforts to stop the country’s march toward the production of bomb-grade uranium fail.
“They wanted us to know, they wanted the Europeans to know, and they wanted the Iranians to know,” the Pentagon official reportedly said. “There’s a lot of signaling going on at different levels.”
Several US officials were quoted by the newspaper as saying that they did not believe that Israel had made a final decision to attack Iran and that such a raid was not imminent.
The Times went on to claim that Iran had recently beefed up its air defenses.
“They are clearly nervous about this and have their air defense on guard,” a US official was quoted as saying.
A Pentagon official reiterated that although the IAF usually holds a major drill early in the summer, the exercise early this month involved more aircraft than had been previously seen and an extensive combat rescue mission.
“They rehearse it, rehearse it and rehearse it, so if they actually have to do it, they’re ready,” the Pentagon official said. “They’re not taking any options off the table.”
Israeli military analyst Martin Van Creveld of Jerusalem’s Hebrew University said military preparations for a possible attack were indeed under way.
“Israel has been talking about this possibility for a long time, that it would not take an Iranian nuclear weapon lying down. And it has been practicing the operation or operations for a long time,” he said.
But though an Israeli strike would likely be able to “paralyze the most important Iranian nuclear installations,” it probably won’t be able to destroy the program entirely, Van Creveld said.
“I would be very surprised if Israel can really knock out every part of this program, which by all accounts appears to be large and well concealed and well dispersed,” he said.
Begin DEBKAfile Excerpt
Israel carries out large-scale rehearsal over Greece of possible air strike against Iran
June 20, 2008, 6:44 PM (GMT+02:00)
US Pentagon sources report that more than 100 Air Force F-16 and F-15 fighters participated in the maneuver over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in the first week of June.
The maneuver included helicopters used for rescuing downed pilots and refueling tankers. They flew 1,440 km, roughly the distance between Israel and the Iranian uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.
Israel officials declined to comment on the exercise, the IDF saying only that the air force trains regularly for various missions in order to meet the challenges posed by the threats facing Israel.
But the US sources said the scope of the Israeli exercise guaranteed it would be noticed by American and other foreign intelligence agencies, primarily to send a signal to the US, Europe and Iran that Israel was prepared and able to act militarily if diplomatic efforts failed to stop Iran’ s nuclear weapon
s advances.
One Pentagon official said: “They rehearse it, rehearse it and rehearse it, so that if they actually have to do it, they’re ready. They’re not taking any options off the table.”
DEBKAfile’s military sources add that only on Tuesday, June 17, the chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Gaby Ashkenazy commented to the Knesset foreign affairs and security committee: “Beside the actions and sanctions against Iran, it is important we remain ready for any options.”
Those sources interpreted the Ashkenazy’s typically understated remark as a hint that Israel must be ready for a possible war with Iran in the near future. This conflict could erupt on three additional fronts, Syria, Hizballah and Hamas. Those sources suggest that the scenario he hinted at would silence the many domestic critics of the ceasefire with Hamas and the Israeli military’s passivity in the face of Hizballah’s massive rocket buildup and Hamas’ escalating aggression.
Of interest too is the probable motive behind the US defense department’s leak to the world media of the Israel Air Force maneuver and its presentation as an exercise to simulate an attack on Iran. According to DEBKAfile’s informants, US defense secretary Robert Gates is adamantly opposed to American military action against Iran’s nuclear facilities and even more so to Israel going it alone, which this publicity was intended to pre-empt.
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