Minister Says US Will Never Attack Iran Nuclear Facilities; Israel May Act Alone

• Minister Says US Will Never Attack Iran Nuclear Facilities; Israel May Act Alone
  by https://www.timesofisrael.com/ , 2 Feb 2021
  Tzachi Hanegbi, a close ally of Netanyahu, says in the future there ‘may be no choice’ other than an Israeli strike to prevent a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic
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  A Likud minister close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday the US will never attack Iran’s nuclear program, and Israel will have to decide whether to launch such a strike alone or come to terms with a nuclear-armed Islamic Republic.
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  The statement came as tensions heated in the Middle East, with Iran ramping up its nuclear program with ongoing violations of its 2015 deal with world powers, and the US and Israel issuing threats and warnings.
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  Some of the activity is tied to the changing of the guard at the White House. The Trump administration stepped up its pressure on Iran as its tenure drew to a close, while the Biden administration is expected to take a softer approach, despite opposition from Israel and its other regional allies.
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• Israel Has 80-90 Nukes, SIPRI Report Says, as Tel Aviv Continues to Accuse Iran of Nuclear Obsession
  by https://www.rt.com/
  Israel, which routinely accuses Iran of trying to obtain nuclear weapons and pledges to use force to stop Tehran, maintains its own undeclared nuclear arsenal estimated at 80 to 90, according to the latest report by SIPRI.
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  There are nine nations in the world that currently have nuclear weapons, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says in its newly released yearbook on the state of armaments and international security. The world nuclear stockpile went from 14,465 at the beginning of last year to about 13,865 this year, the report estimates, as the US and Russia were delivering on their promises under the New START Treaty signed in 2010.
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  Israel, which maintains a policy of neither confirming nor denying the possession of nuclear weapons, has between 80 and 90 warheads in its stockpile, the same as the year before, the institute said.
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  It comes as tensions between Iran on one side, and the US and regional ally Israel on the other, continue to mount. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s unsinkable prime minister, has for years waged a campaign accusing the Iranians of having unwavering nuclear ambitions, regardless of the evidence, or lack thereof.
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“Iran doesn’t frighten me and I don’t think it should frighten the American people. They don’t have a bomb. They haven’t made a decision to build one. They don’t have the means to deliver one. And the Israelis have 300 atomic bombs! I mean who presents the existential threat to whom?” – Pat Buchanan (7:58 onwards)

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