- Join the France 24 community here
- Log in
Latest update: 07/11/2011
- Iran - Israel - military - nuclear Iran
Israeli military threat against Iran is 'empty rhetoric'
Israeli President Shimon Peres warned on Sunday that a pre-emptive attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities was becoming more likely. FRANCE 24 talked to a military intelligence expert who explained that he remains skeptical about Israel’s threats.
By Charlotte BOITIAUX (text)
Israel has dramatically raised the stakes against Iran, stating that a military strike on Tehran’s nuclear facilities was increasingly likely in a dramatic build-up in rhetoric ahead of the publication of a key report by the UN atomic watchdog agency.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is due to release an intelligence report regarding Iran’s alleged efforts to make nuclear weapons on Tuesday or Wednesday with speculation mounting in the media as to its content. Israeli President Shimon Peres warned on November 6 that “the possibility of a military attack against Iran is now closer to being applied than the application of a diplomatic option”.
As the world braces for the next IAEA report, FRANCE24.com spoke to Alain Rodier, an expert on military intelligence at the Paris-based think tank CF2R, to ask him whether the latest Israeli threats were genuine.
FRANCE24: Do you think the Israeli threat to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities is credible?
Alain Rodier: Israel’s military threat against Iran is empty rhetoric; we’ve heard it several times before. Israeli leaders had planned to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities in November 2010 but they were deterred by the US.
That doesn’t mean that we should not take seriously all these Israeli warnings. But we need to remain cautious with that kind of talk as both countries are engaged in a psychological war.
F24: So Israel is not likely to carry out its threat to bomb Iran?
AR: If the Israelis decided to go ahead, it would face several logistical problems. First, the Israeli military would need to locate Iran’s nuclear facilities, which have been spread out all over the country. Several nuclear sites are believed to be buried deep underground, making them hard to spot. Israeli strikes are unlikely to destroy Iran’s nuclear capacity and resolve the issue…They would only succeed in setting back Iran’s nuclear programme a few years.
There is also a real diplomatic risk for Israel. Western countries have always favoured international sanctions and diplomatic pressure to press Iran to ditch its uranium-enrichment programme. Israeli leaders are aware that they won’t get any support from the Americans, who are don’t agree with this strategy and don’t want to jeopardise their relations with their Arab allies.
F24: Do you think that an Israeli strike would have irreversible consequences for the region?
AR: Yes, of course. Tehran has the capability to set the Middle East ablaze by mobilising its regional allies. Hezbollah could strike back in northern Israel, and Hamas - armed by Iran - could stir up troubles in southern Israel. This threat of retaliation is compounded by the risk of terrorist attacks or suicide bombings from the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad.
Iran’s threats against Israel are also empty rhetoric. An Iranian attack would be seen as a declaration of war and Israel would not hesitate to retaliate with overwhelming force. This is a typical “balance of terror” situation where neither of the two countries would dare to strike first.
Related Content
Breaking news from the MIDDLE EAST



























Comments (50)
WHATS THE SOLUTION.
Its widely known that Iran has got terror plans against countries like Isreal,USA and even many more other countries in the world mine inclusive.there is no any other solution apart from striking its nuclear facilities
AMERICA IN TROUBLE
Obama cant lead America. If arabs are allowed to have power the whole world will be in danger. The mission of this people are evil and God will wage war and definetely destroy Iran
Iran
No need to bomb. Just dump high level nuclear waste on various sites and let the Iranians figure out how to clean it up.
Diplomacy is imperative and must be considered
Israel must think of its people and not territorial power , always trying to dominate even at the expense of its people's lifes. Iran is never Iraq, Iran is aware of how Iraq was brought down by the west. Iran has more than just the capability to strungle Israel which Israel might forget. Look at what happened between Israel and Hesbulah , I call it a small armed group by Iran, and now You talk of Attacking Iran ,is funny. These are signs of the end .Israel Beware,US beware. Diplomacy should still be given a chance , Israel people should wake up to protect their lives.
iran and israel conflict
whos fault is it? should iran be bombed?
article
what made them mad?
Who Will Pay For It?
It seems Israel is waiting for America to foot the bill for its war on Iran! I guess those illegal settlements in Gaza are going to be in question once the balance of power changes in the middle east with Iran getting a nuke.
to avoid 3rd world war
if the world did not stop Iran from nuclear weapons, believe me they will tricker 3rd world war, which will cripple many nations including them and they will regret it latter, if all the nations is seeking who will be superiors over all therefor we all is going to crush together.please let live in peace and not in pieces.
Israel vs Iran
Israel has far more to lose than the United States if Iran even gets close to making a nuclear weapon. Under no circumstances can Israel allow this to happen. It is becoming more apparent that Iran is ignoring diplomatic attempts for then to cease their nuclear ambitions. Any one who really believes that the international diplomatic attempts are working are only fooling themselves. History proves that diplomacy does not work with hostile countries. All you have to do is look back to about 1935 and the talks and the treaty signed between Nazi Germany and England. That treaty lasted about 3, maybe 4 months. How soon we forget. I predict Israel will strike Iran within three months. They are already training for such a strike. Plus, Israel took us out of the loop prior to any strike. We will learn about it after the fact. I don't blame them because Washington D.C. can't keep their mouths shut.
"YHWY-YESHUA-RUACH"!
ONLY when these 3 NAME'S say it is "TIME", cause these are the "TRUE NAME'S" of the "HEAVENLY FAMILY"!When "FATHER YAHWAY" tells the Israeli's too put a "STOP" to ALL these terrorists, then the "END WILL COME"!
Since when did France become
Since when did France become such a leader in military issues. Its hard to think of a country that hasn't kicked their butts. What could they possibly know about a balance of terror. No one has ever been afraid of them.
harness the wild
only ISREAL CAN CONTROL THE WILD. NO ONE OTHER THAN ISREAL.GOOD LUCK & COMPLETE THE MISSION ON ASAP BASIS.
Isreal should attack Iran
To the Press and the idiots in Iran. If we keep letting Iran build nuclear plants, guess what knowing Iran they will attack Israel and their allies. This is fact, seeing just how hatefull this Achmendenajhad is, we need to take action now not later on when they have the capabilities to react. What is this country and the world doing, how come we went so fast into Iraq and Afganastan so fast, but now trying diplomacy with Iran, won't work and we need to take our heads out of asses and do the Human thing, destroy Iran totally. We have so many nukes why don't we use them. We used them in Japan in 1945 to destroy over 1 million people on 2 islands without even batting a eye lid. Why can't we do it to Iran, listen I don't care if you hate Israel, look at what they have done for the modern world, in Medicine, technology and human efforts. Time for us to be a mamby pamby country and show why we are the big guys on the block. Time to show our power and destroy these anti American pigs like Iran. Wake up this can not be adverted or pushed aside. If the US is thinking of what may happen, then it will happen plan and simple. Iran does not mind killing millions of people and they even said so infront of the UN security council, but like idiots no one really paid any mind to it. So back Israel and help them take out this country once and for all, kill this little bastatd who is the President of Iran. If you don't do it now then shut up and except what will happen here and abroad. It happened on Sept 11, 2001 and it will happen again. I am sick and tired of hearing how diplomacy will work with Iran, they treat us like pieces of crap and do not respect our capabilities of what we can do, so time to put away the political crap and time for action.
Israel as a real threat
I agree with many of the comments by Alain Rodler, with the following exception. He is correct, I believe, in his view that the US has, in the past, deterred Israel from action. However, that was primarily in the previous Bush administration, which still had some sway over actions by the Israeli Government. That capability to deter actions is significantly reduced under the Obama Administration, despite the personal influence of Hillary Clinton with the Israelis, and unilateral action, despite international consequences, is still an increasing possibility over the next several months.
Israel threats
With the world situation the way it is and is headed there most certainly will be attacks against Iran by Israel and or the US. It is my belief that since attempting to go after the nuclear facilities would be not only dangerous but most likely would not do the job. I believe that since both Israel and the U.S. can pinpoint targets within 25 feet, and since Israel and the U.S. have been tracking and most certainly know where and when each member of Irans political system are any time day or night that action to eliminate these people is the best solution to all the problems. These special weapons can be placed inside the bedrooms of these people thus giving the Iranian people a real chance to enjoy life without the corrupt and crazies that lead their country at the present time. I believe the U.S. and Israel have been keeping their eyes on these targets and should be encouraged to take the out for good.....
balance of terror
the ballance of terror depicted above is true just for the presesnt. The intelligent comentators did not take into account of the unballanced nuclear ballance between Israel and Iran, becouse Israel being a very small country.One more issue is the unballanced rethoric. Israel doesn't threat Iran existence.
iran and israel
by RABBI DR. BERNHARD ROSENBERG
ON Purim and we will read the story of how Haman, a descendant of Amalek, persuaded Achashveros, King of Persia, to destroy the Jews. But it’s also the story of our time! Once again Persia threatens to destroy the Jews, only this time its name has changed. We no longer call it Persia, we call it Iran.know why?
There was a love fest between Hitler and Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Persia, from the moment Hitler came to power in 1933. The shah was enamored with the concept of the Aryan master race—especially because Nazi racial theorists referred to Aryan origins in the Proto-Indo-European lineage of Persia. So intense was the shah’s identification with the Third Reich that in 1935 he—can you believe this—renamed his ancient country “Iran,” which in Farsi means “Aryan!” From that point on, Iranians were constantly reminded that their country was bonded with Nazi Germany for all time.
During the war years, Iran became a haven and headquarters for Gestapo agents and German operatives. In Tehran’s marketplace, it was common to see placards that declared, “In heaven, Allah is your master. On Earth, it is Adolf Hitler!” And so how could the president of Iran now deny that the Holocaust ever happened when his nation is named for Hitler’s master race?
Let there be no mistake, the ultimate agenda of Iran and Hamas—like that of Hitler’s Germany—is not simply the destruction of Israel, but of the Jewish people.
war between israel and iran
what should be done is to cut the snakes head off, then the body will surely die along with the head. by this, i mean hit all the ruling elite as well as the leaders. the ayatollas are a bunch of dictators, worse than even adolf hitler wasw. they use the religion of islam, which preaches peace. they distort the holy koran as the christian evangelicals distort the bible all for personal power, money and personal gain. it is not the iranian or american people as a whole, it is those in power who use religion to control whole populations, and kill those who dare to speak out for peace. that is true in both the middle east, as well as the western worlds. look at the president of syria, he needs to be taken out in a drone strike as well as all his political assies and military thugs. long live the arab spring, and those brave men and women whohave risked and sacrificed their lives for freedom. we need to support those men and women in any way we can. th hell with bashir al assad, as well as the punl ass ayatolla, and his minions. the sooner israel blows the bastards to hell the better the world will be. i knoe israel has showed lots of restraint after being threatened over and over for years. let me say again, it is not the people, it is the dictators, and the religious dictators who need to be vaporized
Really?
So if Israel attacks Iran we get attacked? Raelly? Iran needs to grow up.
Kiddy Fight
I don't know why were allied with israel. It definitely isn't a mutual relationship. Iran needs to be stopped though but Israel's only hope for a succesful attack lies in their airforce. Even then it would be tuff with limited range. The countries of today's world are like children fighting over which candy is better.
Iran nukes
Might as well just grow up and get used to the fact of a nuclear armed Iran.
Israeli empty threats to Iran.
since america is now in Israel, should the American make the peace treaty between Israel and the palestinians a reality and, open the roadway between the west-bank and Gaza while they can now?
the israeli settlements to be returned back to the palestinians as in 1948 united nations map plan for Israel to exist and palestine to live in peace side by side in the land of palestine. the 1967 map is not effective because the Israelis did not agree to it, and had defined every step the united states and the UN worked on, that should be scratched out.
it will just serve the Israel is right to go back to the original UN plan in 1948 and the Israelis must be confined in its territories and no more settlements as they call it !!!!!!
all lands,deads, properties and cash was stolen from the palestinians in 1948 must be returned back to their original owners.
hat how america must make peace in the Middle-east, AND NO MORE FUNNY STUFF.
Israeli empty threats to Iran.
Israel have made empty threats before and now the Israelis armed forces are more careful than ever to risk Israel existence on this earth over iran's nuclear ambitions. [i don't blame them].
attack
iran will never destroy israel the lord will keep them from harms way amen and amen
IRAN will BURN !!
All HAIL ISRAEL !!!! May they COMPLETELY ANNIHILATE ALL Nuclear Facilities in Iran and COMPLETELY WIPE OUT Tehran, Iran !!!!
Iran nuclear ambition.
In my opinion Iran nuclear facilities are not focused on energy need the real reason is to build nuclear weapon to annihilate (The Jewish) nation has the Iranian president has declaration Iran must be cut at any prise.
ian israel conflict
if attack Israel to iran israel will wiped out from the earth
iran has strong weapon to destroyed Israel and iran will get total Muslim support iam waiting for that good day
athnas
free 2 isr
Nuclear strike against Iran
First, let me say we Americans appreciate the long history and alliance we have had with France and the French people but, here I disagree on this one issue. Our Intelligence is that Iran perceives they will be attacked at some point and are currently involved in a detractor threatening to block oil supply. Israel's plan is once we reach the red line, where Iran will have a bomb, they intend to attack using the American MOP, Massive Ordinance Pentrators with conventional charges. If the US holds back on military resupply, Israel will employee 20-30 nuclear war heads to disrupt Iranian atomic manufacture. If Iran responds by bombing Israeli towns and cities, Israel intends to respond by detonating an H-bomb over Tehran. This is why France and the USA must unite in diplomacy prior to such an event which will ultimately involve us.
Israeli threat
the Israeli threat should not be taken lightly.they have a history of rampages and they have proven their aggression in such acts with the attack on the Iraqi nuclear facility.Yet as the military capabilities of Iran are unknown and their response for a pre-emptive attack could be severe;the tension could lead to a 3rd world war
Remarkable accuracy
.IrSsrael
by Dr Bob Matthews (not verified) - 08/11/2011 - 17:24
Two countries in the world that era threat to peace not only in the Middle East but further afield. The US can only be financialy stable when its military industrial complex is mufacturing weapons, using them, or giving them to puppet states in the name of so called American democracy. The US is threat number 1. threat number 2 is Israel who relies on the US veto to literally get away with murder. The vocal jewish clique in government, in banking, in finance and in the arms industry of America do not represent the American people per se, they represent themselves (Israel) Until the American public majority realise, that the total interference by the US in other sovereign states is just an excuse for the US to sequestrate oil and gas this whole sham will continue. America still has the arrogant attitude of might is right, the defining signs of a dictatorship. The American economy is in dire straights identified by the cost of a needless war in Afghanistan to prop up the ego of a truly dreadful US president George W Bush. The cost calculated ay $3,000 a second is obscene. The cost has been further aggravated by the US Fed printing worthless fiat money with no collateral to back up the ballooning debt. The US needs to come to its senses. the rest of the world at some point in the very near future will no longer accept the rapidly devaluing US dollar as the worlds reserve currency, and why should it? The only country that benefits from the current reserve currency is the US, that can raise foreign loans cheaper, control the price of oil and gas by market manipulation, and use the threat of armed force to get its own way. Diplomacy is something that American Presidents find difficult to understand and even more difficult to use. The majority of US citizens do not even have a passport, and there understanding of the rest of the world is the sanitised version produced by Fox News (highly questionable) and CNN (only report news favourable to America) living in a cocoon tends to limit understanding of the real world. The US needs to look at its own serious problems at home instead of its failed model of attempted empire building.
iran israel
the plain truth is untill israel comes to the reality that palestinians are human and have the the same needs and makes the neccessary concession for peace there willbe no peace in the middle east iran on the other hand is plain stuborn and stupid they will not accept that israel can blow them off map both countries are playing wiht what we all heard about( hell fire)
Israel terror attac
this will be very stupid for israel.iran is not iraq or sirya.iran will retaliate with such force that will knocked down israel forever-than will come peace!But not under israely
terms!israel will withdraw from west bank and East Jerusalem and will lose 20-30,000 people in first few days of war!incredible!maybe,just maybe,jesus will abruptly appear in jerusalem in form of FOG or FROG and tell this people to follow him to Dead Sea to take A BATH
Isreal was neither able to
Isreal was neither able to defeat Hibullah nor Hamas that are both big threats on it doorstep How could it attack Iran
Empty Rhetoric?
I would think the LAST phrase I would ever use to describe Israel's intention of dealing with Iran in terms of nuclear weapons is "empty rhetoric". Making such a statement could very well go down as one of the all-time worst "famous last lines" right up there with "...peace in our generation" - Neville Chamberlain or "you can't say Dallas doesn't love you Mr. President" - John Connally's wife moments before the shots rang out. A tiny country the size of Israel, with many of its relatives murdered during holocaust have shown to be a powerful military country who take threats seriously to nth degree (regardless of your feelings about them). And with a country (Iran) with a predeposition towards the destruction of Israel, I don't even think Israel has any other real options. They know sanctions and diplomacy are just allowing for more time for them to build the weapon.
premtive strike
DONT KID YOURSELFS IT WILL BE HAPENING
Bomb Iran
We only need to tell Iran, build a bomb and we will take your country out with our nukes, Period !!!
Iran should say, yes we want
Iran should say, yes we want a peaceful nuke. program but we will also keep the threat of building a NB unless and until we can verify that no other country in the mid east is making or has NB.
and after it's internationally verified then we allow full access to international inspections.
Did he ever hear of Bunker Busters!
The Israeli military is in possession of the latest bunker buster bombs compliments of the US. The US knows the exact location of all the nuclear facilities in Iran. Do you think that this is not passed on to the Israelis?
Israel-Iran
I appreciated the interview with Alain Rodier, and his most comprehensive and lucid comments
Geo-politics
Prophecies given in the Bible will come true if the war between Israel and Iran breaks out.The way to second coming of Jesus may take place. That means the possibilities of the third world war may occurs. Of course, the God do not like to wipe out the globe.Please pray for the global peace.The war between sons of Abraham and Israelite must be ceased at any cost. May God bless all.
Israeli-Iran conflict
Nobody likes war yet "only the dead have seen the end of war" There is always one way to deal with provocation, that is, response. My advice to Israel is "Of entrance into a quarrel beware. Being in bear it that the oppose will beware of thee"
crazy
war is war and no excuse cant be accepted
You reap what you sow
It's a shame, in that a fair, just settlement to the Palestinian issue might have prevented this situation from arising in the first place. Yet I think the danger is minimal. Even if they had one, I really can't see the Iranians using the bomb on Israel, if the restoration of "Palestinian" territory--and avoiding certain mutual annihilation--is the goal. In fact, I think an Iranian bomb might, by restoring some balance to the conflict, actually help bring the peace that has eluded us for so long. Israel's one-sided nuclear "deterrent" certainly hasn't brought stability and security.
More Illegal War
Any attack on Iran by Israel would be totally illegal under international law unless done in self-defence, which is hard to prove. Similar to the British invasion of Iraq. Paying taxes to a government that wages illegal war is aiding and abetting a criminal act and could result in a jail sentence. All UK taxpayers are legally classed as criminals under international law. People will die, no government cares about this, there is no democracy in the world, just lies.
IrSsrael
Two countries in the world that era threat to peace not only in the Middle East but further afield. The US can only be financialy stable when its military industrial complex is mufacturing weapons, using them, or giving them to puppet states in the name of so called American democracy. The US is threat number 1. threat number 2 is Israel who relies on the US veto to literally get away with murder. The vocal jewish clique in government, in banking, in finance and in the arms industry of America do not represent the American people per se, they represent themselves (Israel) Until the American public majority realise, that the total interference by the US in other sovereign states is just an excuse for the US to sequestrate oil and gas this whole sham will continue. America still has the arrogant attitude of might is right, the defining signs of a dictatorship. The American economy is in dire straights identified by the cost of a needless war in Afghanistan to prop up the ego of a truly dreadful US president George W Bush. The cost calculated ay $3,000 a second is obscene. The cost has been further aggravated by the US Fed printing worthless fiat money with no collateral to back up the ballooning debt. The US needs to come to its senses. the rest of the world at some point in the very near future will no longer accept the rapidly devaluing US dollar as the worlds reserve currency, and why should it? The only country that benefits from the current reserve currency is the US, that can raise foreign loans cheaper, control the price of oil and gas by market manipulation, and use the threat of armed force to get its own way. Diplomacy is something that American Presidents find difficult to understand and even more difficult to use. The majority of US citizens do not even have a passport, and there understanding of the rest of the world is the sanitised version produced by Fox News (highly questionable) and CNN (only report news favourable to America) living in a cocoon tends to limit understanding of the real world. The US needs to look at its own serious problems at home instead of its failed model of attempted empire building.
war
we must made the world a better place to be
crucial
I think after Russia Israel is good friend of India and I want to say that like India who is threaten from Pakistan and China and India face problem from both side and same as Israel have face with if they successfully build the nuclear war head like Pakistan where America also threaten with Pakistan Nuclear war Head that might be they reach to Terri st what ever Pakistan say that it's nuclear war head say but the whole world know that how they play twin game from America for long day and still now even America know this from their heart same this could be the condition of Israel if Iran build the nuclear war head this is huge threaten for Israel so India and Israel having same condition more or less i think India and Israel having agreement on co-military agreement go in war both from any side because more or less both Israel and India having same condition so thin Hardly the Israel President and the Indian President.
Thank's
war
whats interesting to note is that, Israels attack on Iran is in itself a declaration of war. When you attack a sovereign state, regardless of the circumstances or support, it is war nonetheless.
I don't agree. Iran is a very
I don't agree. Iran is a very credible regional threat and it appears that the Gulf Arab governments and Israel may face a common enemy in Tehran.
Post new comment