Israel prepares for Iran target strikes

ISRAEL is upgrading contingency plans to strike Iranian targets if Tehran shows signs of nuclear escalation, the defence minister has said, in the latest sign of rising tensions between the two arch enemies. Benny Gantz said that Israel is still working on its plans, but “we have them in our hands, of course”. His comments came as US President Joe Biden considers rejoining a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers to limit Tehran’s nuclear programme, with some changes to toughen curbs. Former president Donald Trump pulled the US out of the atomic accord in 2018 and imposed a so-called campaign of maximum pressure, including sanctions, on Tehran.

Since then, Iran has stepped up uranium enrichment. The UN atomic watchdog agency said earlier this week that Tehran nearly had tripled its stockpile of enriched uranium since November in violation of its deal with world powers. Iran and the Biden administration are deadlocked over how to revive the deal, with Tehran demanding an immediate lifting of sanctions and the US calling on Iran to first return to full compliance with the restrictions of the nuclear agreement. Israel has opposed the nuclear deal and tensions rose when an Israeliowned cargo ship was damaged by a mysterious explosion in the Gulf of Oman.