WarSclerotic

IDF chief of staff: Iran nuclear threat rising – Haaretz – Israel News.

Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi on Tuesday briefed the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on the security situation along Israel’s border, as well as the Iranian threat and the increase in Qassam rocket fire from the Gaza Strip.

Addressing the Iranian nuclear threat, Ashkenazi said that “the Iranians are pressing ahead with their nuclear program. I hope that the trilateral sanctions will prove effective.”

Ashkenazi added that it would be a mistake to rely on the opposition within Iran to neutralize the program’s progress, as “the [Iranian] regime is strong and effective.”

Ashkenazi also discussed the situation along Israel’s northern border, saying it is quiet “but that could change.”

“Hezbollah is deploying more forces north of the Litani River,” he added.

Turning to the issue of the recent escalation in Qassam rocket attacks launched at Israel from Gaza, Ashkenazi told the committee that Hamas is not directly behind the attacks.

“Hamas is not interested in losing control of the situation – but it could do more to stop the rocket fire,” he said, explaining that “the IDF retaliates against Hamas targets because we regard them as the sovereign group [in the Strip].”

This entry was posted on March 23, 2010 at 6:52 PM and is filed under Iran / Israel War. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments. You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.