"Israel Approves $1.5 Billion Budget For Potential" Topic

… Strike On Iran

"Israel has approved a budget of some 5 billion shekels ($1.5 billion) to be used to prepare the military for a potential strike against Iran's nuclear program, Channel 12 reported Monday.

The NIS 5 billion budget is made up of NIS 3 billion from the previous budget and an additional NIS 2 billion from the next budget slated to be approved by the government in November.

It includes funds for various types of aircraft, intelligence-gathering drones and unique armaments needed for such an attack, which would have to target heavily fortified underground sites, the unsourced report said…"

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Armand

Makes sense, since someone has to stop their development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, especially since those countries outside of the immediate region are showing NO interest in really doing anything of substance.

I do note that pallet-fulls of cash have done nothing to halt it, and if anything, have only accelerated the power and scope of attacks on Israel and Israelis.

Well if someone chants "Death to Israel" frequently and is trying to get Nukes. I'd think they'd be on the target list …

Hitler laid out his agenda in Mein Kampf. He followed it.
Sic Iran.

Is that a Line Item in the budget?

More pointless posturing. If Israel could take out Iran's weapons program in a military strike itwould have already done so.

Ummmmm, arealdeadone, I believe Israel has NUKES already. So, what were you saying?

Good point skipper … The IDF is armed & if need be "dangerous".

Posturing may make your enemy think twice or three times, etc. Before taking an aggressive action. Sometimes called the "Beware Of Dog" sign technique. But the IDF has the "Big Dawgs" to back it up.

Ummmmm, arealdeadone, I believe Israel has NUKES already. So, what were you saying?

My point is Israel lacks conventional capability. In the past they never barked, they just bit be it Iraq in 1980 or Syria in 2007 (which Israel finally admitted to in 2018)!

Using nuclear weapons is a whole different kettle of fish that would result in massive global outcry against Israel and probably massive sanctions and the country is turned into a pariah state.

Even the US would struggle to maintain any sort of relationship.

If Iran had nuclear weapons of its own then fair enough. But striking Iranian sites with nuclear weapons without Iran posing a clear and imminent threat would be a disaster for Israel.

The anti-Iranian barking also serves to distract Israeli populations from other issues (massive government corruption and dysfunction, the Palestinian issue) as much as anti-Israeli barking serves the Iranians to keep its populations distracted.

Posturing may make your enemy think twice or three times, etc.

Israel has been posturing pretty much permanently since early 2000s.

Where possible they have taken direct action through sabotage, computer viruses and assassinations. However this just delays the Iranians.

Thus given Israel is a.) permanently barking about Iran and b.)Taking covert action against Iran but c.) is not taking direct conventional action despite constant threats tells me the Israelis cannot pull a conventional strike off against Iran.

Israel has been posturing pretty much permanently since early 2000s.

If not longer …

Where possible they have taken direct action through sabotage, computer viruses and assassinations. However this just delays the Iranians.

Yes all good tactics to slow the Iranians from getting nukes. A technique until other ones presents themselves.

tells me the Israelis cannot pull a conventional strike off against Iran.

I wouldn't go that far but I have no inside track on that. Again maybe waiting until other options become available …

I wouldn't go that far but I have no inside track on that.

The publicly available info should be enough to manage an reasonable estimate:

1, Iranian nuclear program is dispersed across dozens of sites (7 major ones) spread out across the country and often extensively hardened.

2. Israel's main strike force are its tactical fighters which lack range to strike most Iranian nuclear targets without extensive refuelling.

3. Israel has insufficient tankers (11 in total) to sustain multiple strike packages across dozens of targets.

I doubt any Arab country would let Israel use its bases for an Iranian strike. Even Azerbaijan is risky because any Israeli build up would be easily spotted especially as Azerbaijan only has a limited number of airbases.

4. Israel lacks fighter numbers to sustain strikes on multiple locations. Current Israeli fighter fleet including 2 seat combat capable conversion trainers is 330 odd aircraft (75 F-15A/B/C/D/I, 225 F-16C/D/I, 30 F-35(75 planned)).

The 2007 strike on a non-hardened Syrian nuclear target required 20 fighter aircraft including 10 F-15I and probably a similar number of F-16Is as well as a number of EW, ELINT and other electronic aircraft.

So if 2007 is anything to go by, Israel does not have enough fighters to attack Iranian nuclear targets whilst maintaining any kind of reserve or without compromising Israel's security.

5. Israel has got cruise missiles such as Delilah but they are often short range compared to say a Tomahawk and usually launched by fighter aircraft.

Even the much vaunted LORA quasi ballistic missiles as used by Azerbaijan only have a range of about 400 km.

Israel's submarines have cruise missiles but there is only 6 boats in service and their missile loads are limited and actually assumed to b nuclear tipped (there might be a conventional version but in any case numbers are too low to make a difference.)

Israeli military is designed around short range engagements in its neighbourhood with only limited long range strike capability.

I suspect Israel's preferred option is for Uncle Sam to go into Iran and conduct some regime change and nation building. I think they also bark a lot to try to get a response from USA.

Sounds reasonable …

Israeli Air Force Has Resumed Training For A Possible Strike On Iran's Nuclear Facilities

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Armand

Sound like a good idea … For now the USA can't be depended upon … well … anything.

Next Generation Of Israeli Made Robots Could Replace Troops On Front Lines

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Armand

More and more … 'bots are being used to replace many jobs. … That humans are doing now. It is the future.

Yes Legion, we cannot be depended on, and this has been for some time. We don't seem to understand diplomacy on the world stage anymore. Out statecraft has been almost non-existent in recent years, especially concerning Russia, China, N Korea. Not to mention Iran and Afghanistan. There is blame for all parties here.

One thought:

American families, American farmers, pay the cost of the China tariffs, while the rest of the world takes the business we once did and profits from our folly. Now might be a time to cut an actual deal with the Chinese using reduction of the tariffs as leverage for lowering Chinese military activity re Taiwan. This would put a considerable amount of money back in the pockets of families here to fight inflation as well.

Speaking about bots…

Israel selects IAI for the next development phase of Carmel armored fighting vehicles

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Armand

Yes Legion, we cannot be depended on, and this has been for some time. We don't seem to understand diplomacy on the world stage anymore.

Well the board has been set, most of the players are ID'd … With the state of the PRC/CCP & Putin. As well as the USA. The standards have changed a bit.

Wow ! I love that IDF IFV !