ISRAEL could be forced to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities with long-range missiles and guided bombs as tensions continue to escalate between the archenemies, experts have warned.
David Albright, the Founder of the Institute for Science and International Security, told The Sun that the time is “now” for Israel to destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons capabilities.
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Albright said Israel is destroying Iran’s “ring of fire” with its long-awaited ground invasion against its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon and the devastating pager attacks that killed 37 and injured thousands.
He said this is a “unique” time to attack Iran’s nuclear bases without suffering huge consequences.
Albright explained that now that Iran is on the back foot, the regime will be looking to fast-track its nuclear program and build a bomb within a matter of months, Albright said.
The nuclear weapons expert said Israel – fearing that Iran will be ramping up its nuclear production – could be forced to strike Iran’s nuke facilities before it is too late.
If Israel doesn’t, Iran’s Islamist Regime will be able to build a nuclear bomb in a devastating move that could spark a nuclear Armageddon.
And Middle East expert Kasra Aarabi said Tehran’s latest missile attack on Israel shows the Islamist regime wouldn’t hesitate to launch nukes at Israel.
He said that means Iran’s nuke facilities – like the huge uranium bases Natanz and Fordow – are “legitimate targets” for Israeli strikes.
Albright pointed to how Israeli missiles, bombs and special forces could launch a co-ordinated attack to wipe out Iran’s nuclear facilities before time runs out.
He said Israel has a “unique” window of opportunity to strike key nuclear sites across Iran where uranium is stored with long-range missiles and guided bombs.
The physicist and weapons expert told The Sun: “This is a very dangerous time because Iran, based on what’s happened with the invasion of Lebanon and the pager attacks, doesn’t have a lot of deterrence to stop an Israeli attack.
“That means Iran has a greater motivation to build nuclear weapons as their ultimate deterrent.”
Albright added: “But at the same time, Israel looks at Iran and sees that its ring of fire is weakened drastically.
“So here’s a unique time to attack the nuclear sites and not suffer huge consequences.”
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed Tehran “will pay” after making the “big mistake” of unleashing 181 missiles at Israel on Tuesday night.
He met with his war cabinet in a secret underground bunker to map out the blueprints of a devastating revenge attack on Iran.
Netanyahu’s response to Iran’s blitz could target oil production facilities inside Iran within days, Israeli officials said.
But experts told The Sun that now could be the perfect time for Netanyahu to launch strikes on Iran’s nuke bases.
Otherwise, Albright said Iran could move its uranium stocks to secret sites and ramp up their plans to create a nuke bomb.
Former Israeli Major Ahron Bregman, who served in the military for six years, said the “real danger” now for Israel is if Iran does become a nuclear power.
Dr Bregman, now a senior teaching fellow at King’s College London, told The Sun: “From an Israeli point of view, a nuclear Iran that keeps saying ‘We want to destroy you’ is a real danger.
“They would be thinking why not remove the real danger for us long term, which is a nuclear Iran.
“And soon it might be too late, because you can bomb it as long as the base is not active.
“This could be the last opportunity for Israel to bomb an Iranian nuclear reactor.”
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Iranian scientists are yet to make a workable nuclear weapon but it could easily be within their grasp within a matter of months.
Iran’s formidable Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has overseen the rapid expansion of the country’s nuclear program in recent years.
And Tehran already has stockpiles of highly enriched uranium – but they are just shy of the amount needed to make a nuclear bomb.
Kasra Aarabi, the Director of IRGC Research at United against Nuclear Iran, told The Sun: “Iran’s nuclear facilities are a legitimate target for Israel to strike.
“I think Iran’s attack shows clearly that this is a regime based around violent Islamist extremism.
“It’s a deeply ideological regime and its ideology is centred on the eradication of the State of Israel.”
Aarabi said Western officials had thought Iran wouldn’t dare directly strike Israel – but they have now struck the nation in April and this week with missiles.
He explained: “Now we’re in a situation where the nuclear sites are perfectly legitimate targets for Israel.
“Israel cannot and should not tolerate a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic.
“It would be an existential threat to Israel and a threat to global peace and security.”
Nuclear sites in Iran
IRAN, a formidable and dangerous world power, is home to a number of nuclear sites.
It is thought to have active nuclear sites, research reactors and uranium mines.
Arak plant – satellite pictures of this plant near the Iranian town of Arak surfaced over 20 years ago.
It contains a heavy-water reactor with plutonium that can be used for nuclear bombs.
Bushehr nuclear power station – this power plant is a combination of Russian and German engineering.
It’s nuclear reactor is operating at 100% power and the site is home to enriched uranium, used for nuclear bombs.
Gachin uranium mine – home to uranium ore concentrate, or yellowcake, which can be transformed into enriched uranium ready for nuke bomb assembling.
Isfahan conversion plant – yellowcake is converted here into three dangerous substances.
Hexafluoride gase used in the enrichment process, uranium oxide used to fuel reactors and metal used in the cores of nuclear bombs.
Natanz uranium enrichment plant – this is Iran’s largest enrichment base.
It’s made up of three underground buildings and is closely watched by the international community.
Parchin military site – south of Tehran, this site is focused on research and the production of ammo, rockets and explosives.
Concerns have been raised that it is also used as part of Iran’s nuclear weapon development.
Qom uranium enrichment plant – a heavily fortified and initially secret facility where Iran carries out uranium enrichment.
Israeli bombs and missiles could strike the Natanz complex, which is at the heart of Iran’s enrichment programme on mountains outside the Shi’ite Muslim Holy City of Qom, south of Tehran.
Natanz, shielded by armed Iranian troops, anti-aircraft defences and perimeter-wide fencing, is Iran’s primary uranium enrichment facility.
The complex houses the vast underground Fuel Enrichment Plant and the above-ground Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant
On the opposite side of Qom is Fordow Fuel Enrichment plant, which is dug into a mountain and better protected from an Israeli bombardment.
Imad Salamey, an Associate Professor at the Lebanese American University, told The Sun: “Israel has the capability to launch pre-emptive strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, should it perceive an imminent threat of Iran going nuclear.
“Such a strike would likely involve a combination of long-range missiles, precision-guided bombs and cyber operations, targeting key facilities like Natanz and Fordow.”
But Biden has insisted he is opposed to Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities – so it’s a question of whether Israel will choose to launch the hit without direct US approval.
Iranian scientists are yet to make a workable nuclear weapon but it could easily be within their grasp within a matter of months.
Iran’s formidable Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has overseen the rapid expansion of the country’s nuclear program in recent years.
And Tehran already has stockpiles of highly enriched uranium – but they are just shy of the amount needed to make a nuclear bomb.
Albright explained that at the moment, Iran could create enough weapons-grade uranium for a series of bombs in a matter of days.
And from there, it could take them six months to build a nuclear bomb that could spark WW3.
Albright said: “If Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear sites and destroyed the enriched uranium, they would delay their program for more than a year.”
Nuclear experts have previously revealed Iran could carve out enough weapons-grade uranium for a nuclear bomb in a matter of months.
At the Natanz nuclear site, satellite images from April exposed the hub of activity at the secret fuel enrichment complex.
The pictures, shared by the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), show just how hard Iran is working to form an indestructible nuclear base.
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