The Israeli military last week made a point of highlighting the Israeli Air Force’s abilities to conduct long range operations, including the IAF’s midair refueling capabilities. The Washington Post notes that the display comes on the eve of talks between the West and Iran:
In an apparent message to Iran, the Israeli military said Thursday it had carried out a “special long-range flight exercise” and posted rare footage of the drill online. The military said its squadrons practiced refueling planes in midair this week and tested the air force’s ability. The accompanying footage shows a tanker plane refueling a fighter jet midair, a key part of any long-range operation. The release of the video comes just days before Western powers are to open new talks with Iran over its disputed nuclear program.
Israeli officials from across the political spectrum have expressed fears that negotiations will include a deal that leaves Iran with the ability to dash across the nuclear finish line. Iran appears prepared to offer a basket of concessions that fall far short of what analysts have said would be required to put nuclear weapons out of the regime’s reach.
Jerusalem has consistently said that it will act alone if necessary to prevent nuclear weapons acquisition by Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave interviews last week to a series of European outlets, warning of the dangers of accepting terms that leaving Iran capable of going nuclear:
Just days before the world powers renew discussions with Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday held a series of interviews with European media outlets with the aim of pressuring EU countries not to lift economic sanctions on Tehran. From his office in Jerusalem, Netanyahu spoke to leading media outlets in Germany, France and Great Britain, including France’s Le Monde, the British Financial Times, Germany’s ARD, French television channel TV24 and Britain’s Sky News.
A video of the interviews is embedded below.
Meeting with Netanyahu last month, President Barack Obama reaffirmed that that the U.S. was keeping all options on the table in order to force Iran to meet its international obligations. National security advisor Susan Rice clarified that the U.S. does not accept that Iran has a right to enrich uranium. Iranian officials have repeatedly brushed off the U.S. condition, emphasizing what they describe as an “absolute right” to enrich uranium.
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