Juniper Oak 23.2. USA and Israel practice attacking Iran

The day before yesterday ended Juniper Oak 23.2. These were the largest joint maneuvers of the United States and Israel in history. They practiced both air, land and sea forces. A full of about 7,500 soldiers from both countries. Officially, the exercises were not aimed at any state, but Israeli media study that military were practicing, among others, the demolition of investigation facilities in the depths of the enemy's territory, which immediately evokes associations related to the Iranian atomic program.

Warning to Iran

Juniper Oak exercise 23.2. lasting 4 days. Both land, air, and sea troops took part. However, the Air Force played a dominant role. There were about 140 aircraft in the sky, including B-52 bombers, as well as F-35, F-15, F-16, or FA-18 fighters. Key participants in the exercise were the Boeing KC-46 air tankers. The Americans and Israelis have been practicing air strikes on targets deep into enemy territory, which requires refueling during flight. By the way, it is worth mentioning that the Israelis signed a contract to supply 4 specified air tankers last year.

Officially, the exercises were not aimed at any country, but the very fact that the attacks on targets located far within the territory of the opponent immediately evokes associations related to the Iranian atomic program. The Israelis have for years warned that if they come to the conclusion that Iran is close to constructing atomic weapons, they will not passively look at it and, euphemically speaking, take appropriate steps to neutralise the threat.

The impression that the exercises were directed in Iran besides strengthens Israeli media information. According to Israeli Channel 12, during military training, they were to bomb targets in the Negev Desert, which were to mimic Iranian investigation centers.

Fearlessness and Real Confrontation

The American-Israeli military exercises must surely be seen as a demonstration of force entering the Israeli doctrine of deterrence. The Israelis are in favour of a defensive strategy and are so in favour of a preventive attack on targets outside Israel, thus prejudging a possible hostile attack against Israel. For example, Israelis regularly attack Iranian convoys or military bases in Syria.

Israel is not first faced with the threat of a atomic bomb being constructed by 1 of its mediate east rivals. In 1981, as part of Operation Opera, the Israelis destroyed Tuwaith's facility under Baghdad, where they believed Saddam Hussein was to run a secret military atomic program. In retrospect, we know that Saddam's threat was mostly imaginary.

However, the Syrian threat was real. In the early 2000s, Syrians, in cooperation with North Korea, secretly built a venom reactor in the Syrian Desert, close the town of Dajr-az-Zaur. However, Israel found out about this and in 2007, as part of Operation Orchard, destroyed the reactor.

Israel, if threatened, is not afraid to launch a preventive attack. However, in the event of a possible attack on Iranian atomic investigation centres, the issue is not so obvious.

Some Iranian investigation centres are deep underground. This is the case for Fordow uranium enrichment plants. any of the hotel in Natanz is besides below the surface.

Uranium enrichment centre in Fordow

By raiding underground Iranian centers, The Israelis couldn't be certain they'd all be destroyed. Besides, there is simply a hazard that Iran could respond militarily. Tehran has an advanced ballistic rocket program and besides cooperates with many armed organizations in the region.

As a result, erstwhile considering the option of attacking Iran, Israelis must besides consider a black script in which they will not only neglect to destruct all investigation centres, but besides a retaliation attack: Iranian ballistic missiles will be launched towards Israel, there will be another Hamas confrontation in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in the Lebanese-Israel border.

Spies, viruses and killers

However, the option of raiding Iran is simply a last resort, and Israel focuses primarily on action under the war threshold, killing Iranian scientists, or sabotaging Iranian investigation centres.

Between 2010 and 2012, erstwhile work on Iran's atomic program has clearly accelerated, 5 crucial Iranian scientists were killed in the bombings. Everything indicates that Israel was behind their deaths. This strategy besides incorporates the subsequent 2020 murder, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh whose media called "the father of the Iranian atomic program".

The car where Mohsen Fakhrizadeh died

Iranian investigation centres are besides facing cyber threats. In 2010, the Natanz facility was attacked by Stuxnet virus, which not only destroyed about 1/5 Iranian centrifuges (used to enrich uranium), but besides gave hackers access to secret data on Iran's atomic program.

It has never been determined who precisely was behind Stuxnet, but the most likely virus appears to have been the consequence of the joint work of American and Israeli hackers.

In conclusion, Israel is not afraid to carry out preventive attacks, but always does so “with its head”. If there is an option for unconventional actions (viruses, assassinations), then it uses them most. This is peculiarly crucial erstwhile considering Iran's atomic programme, due to the fact that here Israeli raids may not only be insufficient to destruct all investigation centres, but the Israeli-Iran confrontation can rapidly turn into a regional war in which Israel will gotta fight on respective fronts at once.