Joint US-Israel efforts target Iran’s growing nuclear threat

[Ryan Robertson]

IRAN’S NUCLEAR PROGRAM REACHED A PIVOTAL STAGE, WITH URANIUM ENRICHMENT NEARING WEAPONS-GRADE LEVELS. INTELLIGENCE REPORTS SUGGEST TEHRAN AMASSED ENOUGH ENRICHED MATERIAL FOR MULTIPLE BOMBS, SHOULD ITS LEADERSHIP DECIDE TO ADVANCE THE PROGRAM. WHILE IRAN DENIES SEEKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS, U.S. AND ISRAELI OFFICIALS ARE PREPARING FOR THE POTENTIAL THREAT.

PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP’S TRANSITION TEAM IS REPORTEDLY EXPLORING A RANGE OF STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS. THESE INCLUDE ENHANCED SANCTIONS TO WEAKEN TEHRAN’S ECONOMY AND MILITARY SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL, LIKE ADVANCED MUNITIONS CAPABLE OF TARGETING IRAN’S DEEPLY BURIED NUCLEAR FACILITIES.

MEANWHILE, AFTER WEAKENING IRANIAN PROXIES LIKE HEZBOLLAH IN LEBANON AND GAINING AIR SUPERIORITY OVER SYRIA AND IN IRAN THANKS TO AN OCTOBER STRIKE, ISRAELI OFFICIALS BELIEVE THIS IS A CRITICAL MOMENT TO HIT IRAN– IF IN FACT SUCH AN ACTION IS DEEMED NECESSARY. REPORTS SUGGEST THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE IS PREPARING FOR A POTENTIAL PREEMPTIVE STRIKE ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR FACILITIES.

RECENT ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES ACROSS SYRIA ALREADY DEALT A SIGNIFICANT BLOW TO IRAN’S REGIONAL INFLUENCE, TARGETING WEAPONS DEPOTS AND AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS LEFT VULNERABLE AFTER THE FALL OF BASHAR AL-ASSAD’S REGIME.

DIPLOMATIC SOLUTIONS REMAIN ON THE TABLE, WITH IRAN SIGNALING A WILLINGNESS TO NEGOTIATE UNDER SPECIFIC CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, TEHRAN WARNED ANY ATTACK ON ITS FACILITIES COULD LEAD TO THE ABANDONMENT OF INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR AGREEMENTS.

U.S. AND ISRAELI OFFICIALS STRESS THE URGENCY OF STAYING AHEAD IN THIS HIGH-STAKES RACE. BOTH NATIONS ARE RELUCTANT TO IGNITE A LARGER CONFLICT, BUT THEIR FOCUS REMAINS ON DETERRING IRAN AND ENSURING NUCLEAR WEAPONS DON’T ENTER THE EQUATION.

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