Report: Israel unlikely to hit Iran nuclear sites but may target bases, intel or leadership targets

Israel is not expected to hit Iranian nuclear sites in response to Tehran’s ballistic missile attack last week, the New York Times reports.

Unnamed officials tell the newspaper that Israel is instead likely to focus on military bases, or intelligence or leadership targets, but could later go for the nuclear program if Iran responds.

According to the Times, former and current senior Israeli officials “acknowledged doubts” whether Israel could do serious damage to Iran’s nuclear program, however officials at the Pentagon were said to be considering whether Israel would decide in any case that this is the best time to target it.

The report questions whether a potential strike would be effective enough to sufficiently hamper the nuclear program, or could instead just send it underground or lead to Tehran accelerating it.

It says that Washington has instead urged sabotage, diplomacy and sanctions as the best way to deal with the program.

The report says that for many years, Israel did not have a real plan to attack Iran’s nuclear program, instead focusing on Hezbollah, until Naftali Bennett became prime minister in 2021. Bennett, who has increased his calls in recent days for Iran’s nuclear program to be hit, quickly “order[ed] new exercises to simulate flying the long distances to Iran and pour[ed] new resources into the preparations.”