The defense minister says Israel has identified Iran’s targets for an attack if Tehran maintains a ‘nuclear boost’.
Israel’s defense minister has said his country has drawn up plans to hit Iran’s targets if Tehran shows signs of nuclear escalation.
Benny Gantz told Fox News that Israel is still working on its plans, but “we certainly have them in our hands”.
He showed a map of Lebanon that he said included ground forces, missiles and launch sites set up by Iranian proxy forces on the border.
“This is a target map.” All of them have been legally, actively, understood and we are ready to fight, ”said Gantz.
The comments come as U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is considering reverting to Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program, with some changes to tighter loops on Tehran activity .
Former President Donald Trump suspended U.S. membership of the nuclear deal and replaced sanctions.
“Iran’s nuclear boom must be stopped,” Gantz said, reiterating the Israeli government’s approach to the new administration on the issue.
“If not, we must stand independently and defend ourselves.”
‘Special security arrangements’ with Gulf states
Gantz said Tuesday that his country intends to develop a “special security arrangement” with new Gulf Arab allies who have common concerns about Iran.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain established formal relations with Israel last year.
While playing down media reports about establishing a formal defense agreement with the Gulf countries, Gantz said security ties would be pursued.
“I do not think it will be a defense agreement but we are going to develop a defense relationship with all the countries with which we have a relationship,” Gantz told Reuters news agency.
“We have this process in place to establish (a) a specific security arrangement, and within this arrangement we can continue and improve our relationships,” he said. Gantz declined to go into detail. -information about what such an arrangement would mean.
He also said Israel was not opposed to the sale, agreed in Trump’s last days in office, of 50 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth jets to the UAE. The agreement is now under review by the Biden administration.
Asked about the Israeli government’s view on the sale, Gantz said Israel’s “qualitative margin of custody” must be maintained by the United States, adding that the advanced plane was already in the country’s arsenal. .