"Newsweek" reports in its latest edition, "Western intelligence experts believe that Iran's nuclear facilities are so deep underground that it would be difficult for Israel to wipe them out, or even significantly damage them, with a quick airstrike."
"Newsweek" says, "In order to deal a serious setback to Iran's nuclear program, at least four key sites inside Iran would have to be hit, said one Western official, who asked for anonymity when discussing sensitive information. The facilities, however, are located in tunnels fortified by barriers more than 60 feet thick. According to this official and other US experts, Israel does not possess conventional weapons capable of knocking out the facilities. Breaking through the thick shell would require, at minimum, several bunker-buster bombs striking precisely the same spot.
"Newsweek" quotes former UN. nuclear expert David Albright as saying, "These targets would be very hard to destroy." Theoretically, Israel could do a lot more damage with a nuclear strike. But US and other Western experts doubt that Israel will go against its stated policy of not being the first to use nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 26, 2008
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