Official: Israel is ready to attack Iran

JERUSALEM >> Israel is prepared to attack Iran, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said, as his country lobbied for a response to a fatal drone attack on an Israelioperated oil tanker that it blamed on the Islamic Republic.

Asked in an interview broadcast on a local media website whether Israel is prepared to assault Iran, Gantz gave a one-word answer: “‘Yes.”

Pressed on whether he sought military action against Iran now, Gantz replied: “We must not see Iran only as Israel’s problem and exempt the rest of the world.” Pushed further on whether that confrontation should be military, he said, “Yes, yes,” and added, “and Israel has to do its part.”

The defense minister also replied in the affirmative when asked whether Israel’s military is ready for a multifront conflict that might include Iran.

The United Nations Security Council will discuss the tanker attack behind closed doors Friday, according to diplomats who asked not to be identified in advance of the session. The U.K. sent a letter to the council this week that it was “highly likely” that the tanker was attacked by Iran, and the U.S. urged the council to debate the attack.

Israel has said frequently that it is ready to take military action to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, but Gantz’s comments come at a time of raised tensions in the region over attacks at sea. Israel says it’s given allies “hard evidence” that the Islamic Republic was behind last week’s drone attack.