|
|
| By Israel Insider staff July 11, 2008 |
|
| |
 Bookmark to del.icio.us |
| |
Israel Air Force (IAF) war planes are training in the airspace of Iraq and landing in US airbases there in preparation for a potential strike on Iran, sources in the Iraqi Defense Ministry told a local news network Friday.
The report, picked up by Iranian news outlets, claimed that massive nocturnal activity by IAF aircraft has been observed in several American airbases in Iraq, accompanied by increased perimeter security by the US army around the bases.
The IDF Spokesperson's Office said the Iraqi reports were "unfounded."
According to the Iraqi sources, former military officers in the Anbar province said IAF jets arrive during the night through Jordanian airspace, enter Iraq's airspace and land on a runway near the city of Hadita. The sources speculate that the jets have been practicing for a raid on Iran's nuclear sites.
The sources also suggested that the US bases in Iraq might serve as a platform for the IAF to attack Iran, reducing risks and time to reach Iranian targets to several minutes.
Israeli conducted a massive air exercise over the Mediterranean in early June in what officials said was a "dress rehearsal" for an attack on Iran's nuclear sites.
On Thursday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak bragged that Israel was the "strongest country in the region" and that the country "has already proved it did not shy away in the past from acting when it fears its vital interests are at stake."
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
