Threatens Preemptive Strike Against U.S. Troops

The Australian reports that has threatened a preemptive strike against US troops in the region:

"We will not sit (with arms folded) to wait for what others will do to us," 's defence minister, Rear-Admiral Ali Shamkhani told Al-Jazeera TV yesterday when asked if would respond to a US attack on its nuclear facilities.

"Some military commanders in are convinced that preventive operations which the Americans talk about are not their monopoly, "America is not the only one present in the region. We are also present, from Khost to Kandahar in Afghanistan; we are present in the Gulf and we can be present in Iraq," said Rear-Admiral Shamkhani.

According to the Associated Press, Ali Shamkhani threat came in response to a question about how would respond if America were to attack its nuclear facilities.

There has been a lot of speculation about what might be done to prevent from becoming a nuclear power since confirmed it had resumed building nuclear centrifuges, which can be used to enrich uranium.

Yesterday the Christian Science Monitor reported that the possibility of Israel following through on veiled threats to hit ian nuclear sites remains:

Two decades later, the Osirak precedent endures. As the Bush administration steps up its rhetoric against 's nuclear program, the possibility of Israel following through on veiled threats to hit ian sites remains a wildcard.

But several Israeli experts say that the Osirak experience bears little relevance in the case of and that the chances of a repeat strike are very low.

[. . .]

Even the very ability of Israel's military to repeat the decisive strike achieved at Osirak appears doubtful. While the Iraqi nuclear effort was concentrated at the Osirak plant, nuclear experts say the ians have dispersed their program at multiple sites, some of which are hidden underground.

threatened retaliation if Israel attacks its nuclear facilities. The deputy chief of 's Revolutionary Guard said would destroy Israel's Dimona nuclear reactor if the Jewish state were to attack 's nuclear facilities.

tested an improved version of its Shahab earlier this week. The Shahab-3 is based on the North Korean Nodong-1 and similar to a scud.

Last month an Arrow anti-ballistic successfully intercepted and destroyed its target at a test range in California. The Washington Times reports that the Arrow is the core of Israel's active defense and makes Israel's pre-emption option less urgent.