Israel’s Defense Minister Says as Long as Iran Is a Threat, All Options Are on the Table
Israel’s defense minister warned Monday that as long as Iran poses a threat to Israel with its nuclear program, all options are on the table, a reference to a possible Israeli attack.
Ehud Barak was speaking before The Foreign Press Association, which represents journalists covering Israel and the Palestinian territories.
Israel and the West suspect Iran is trying obtain nuclear weapons. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful.
Barak said, “I believe it is well understood in Washington, D.C., as well as in Jerusalem that as long as there is an existential threat to our people, all options to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons should remain on the table.”
Israel considers Iran a threat to its existence because of its nuclear and missile development programs, frequent reference to Israel’s destruction by Iranian leaders and Iran’s support of violent anti-Israeli groups in Lebanon and Gaza.
Barak and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have frequently hinted at the possibility of an Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities but have not made an open threat.
“I have enough experience to know that a military option is not a simple one,” Barak said of a potential strike. “It would be complicated with certain associated risks. But a radical Islamic Republic of Iran with nuclear weapons would be far more dangerous both for the region and, indeed, the world.”