Israel has drawn up clandestine plans for a combined air and ground attack on targets in Iran if diplomacy fails to stop the Iranian nuclear program, according to a news report Sunday.
The British Sunday Times reported that Premier Sharon's inner cabinet gave "initial authorization" for an attack during a private meeting last month on his ranch in the Negev desert.
Israeli forces have used a mock-up of Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant in the desert to practise destroying it, the report said.
Their tactics include raids by Israel’s elite Shaldag (Kingfisher) commando unit and airstrikes by F-15 jets from 69 Squadron, using "bunker-busting bombs" to penetrate underground facilities.
The plans have been reviewed with US officials who are said to have indicated provisionally that they would not stand in Israel’s way if all international efforts to halt Iranian nuclear projects failed.
