Israel, U.S. exacting date of attack on Iran

PanARMENIAN.Net - Al-Siyassa Kuwaiti daily quoted sources in Washington as saying that the date of an Israeli and American attack on Lebanon and Iran is approaching.



According to the sources, preparations for the attack were coordinated during recent frequent visits by senior Israeli officials to the U.S., and that Israeli Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi has got a green light from President Bush to carry out an extensive air and ground attack against Hezbollah. The sources added that this attack, which could be in late September or early October, would be a prelude to an expected attack on Iran in November or December.



It was also reported that the Israelis informed the Bush administration about the transfer of surface-to-air missiles from Iran to Hezbollah, that the missiles had already been positioned in the Beq'a Valley and at the foot of Mt. Lebanon, and that all Hezbollah missiles were deployed in extensive areas of the country.



Also according to the sources, Syria was refraining from arming Hezbollah with similar missiles that it and Iran received several months ago from Russia. They said that in recent talks in Turkey between Israeli and Syrian representatives, Syria had received guarantees that it would not be attacked, and at the same time the Syrian representatives announced the removal of a surface-to-air missile network from the western mountain chain bordering Lebanon, placed there out of fear of an Israeli aerial attack.



Kayhan Iranian daily, which is close to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stated that the frequent trips by senior Israeli officials to Washington attest to Israel's fear of concessions being made by the U.S. in light of Iran's increasing demands, and that these trips were unplanned and not routine, MIGnews reports.