Officials: Israeli jets flying over Iraqi territory in preparation for strike on Iran

[Scurrilous]

Sources in Iraq's Defense Ministry say for past month Israel using American bases to conduct overflights as part of rehearsal for possible bombing or Iranian nuclear facilities

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3566925,00.html

<snip>

"Israeli fighter jets have been flying over Iraqi territory for over a month in preparation for potential strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, sources in the Iraqi Defense Ministry told a local news network Friday, adding that the aircraft have been landing in American bases following the overflights.

Word of Israel's alleged Air Force maneuvers in Iraq has reached Iran. The sources said the US has boosted security in and around the bases used by Israel during the exercises.

According to the Defense Ministry officials, retired Iraqi army officers in the Al Anbar district reported that fighter jets have been regularly entering Iraqi airspace from Jordan and landing at the airport near Haditha.

The sources estimated that should the Israeli jets take off from the American bases it would take them no more than five minutes to reach Iran's nuclear reactor in Bushehr."

[crikkett]

1. Wow, what a great way to drag us into another war!

:sarcasm:

[leveymg]

2. I want another source to confirm this. Story floated and shot down in Feb. Also, Mullen said no.

Haaretz: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/829673.html

Last update - 11:00 25/02/2007


Deputy Defense Minister denies report Israel in talks over attack on Iran

By Haaretz Service and Reuters

Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh denied Saturday a British newspaper report that Israel is negotiating with the United States over a potential attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.

The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday that Israel is negotiating with the U.S. over permission for an "air corridor" over Iraq, should an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities become necessary.

Military authorities would need permission from the U.S. Department of Defense for any such operation, the report said.

"International authorities, particularly in the West, who want to avoid direct involvement with Iran, are anxious to spread the story that we will strike Iran," Sneh told Israel Radio.

"Those who do not want to work politically, diplomatically and economically are diverting attention to the operation that we are said to be conducting," he said.

SNIP

Also, incoming head of the Joint Chiefs recently told Israeli brass no such permision would be given.

reports in the Jerusalem Post and Haaretz that Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recently told top officials of the Israeli Defense Forces that the United States would not give them a "green light" to launch airstrikes on Iran. (See, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1000091.html)

This is not merely a political statement. To send fighter-bombers to attack Iran, the Israelis would need permission to fly over Iraq on the way. Maliki certainly wouldn't approve such a plan; Mullen was saying that President Bush wouldn't, either.

More war of nerves stuff.

[madrchsod]

3. they also have these spy planes

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3566807,00.html

i guess the country has billions to spend on war and pennies on peace......

[two gun sid]

4. I do not buy anything about this story

[Sezu]

5. Same story on Jerusalem Post but they admit they

have been unable to verify it, so I don't blame you for being skeptical

[two gun sid]

6. The Israel Insider was the first place I saw it

Contributors to that site include Danial Pipes and other PNACer's. The IAF is violating Jordanian air space every night and some one in the Jordanian military is not raising holy hell? IAF in Iraq? It just doesn't pass the smell test.

Sounds like more bullshit attempts at psyops by the warmongers in PNAC.

[LeftishBrit]

7. Israel Insider is a religious-right rag and very unreliable.

I'll wait for more reliable confirmation until I draw any conclusions.

[two gun sid]

8. Iraq says no knowledge of any Israeli air drills

Iraq's Defence Ministry said on Friday it had no knowledge of any Israeli air force drills in its airspace.

An Israeli security source said a media report, carried on the website of the Jerusalem Post and quoting a local news network, was wrong.

"As the Ministry of Defence, we haven't observed any IAF warplanes practising in Iraqi airspace," said Major-General Mohammad al-Askari, spokesman for the Iraqi Defence Ministry.

Israel Air Force (IAF) war planes were practising in Iraqi airspace and landing on U.S. airbases in the country as a preparation for a potential strike on Iran, sources in the Iraqi Defence Ministry told a local news network, the Jerusalem Post report said.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20080711/tpl-uk-iraq-israel-report-43a8d4f.html

[Scurrilous]

9. Crude Oil Rises to Record on Speculation Israel May Attack Iran

<snip>

"Crude oil rose more than $5 to a record on concerns that Israel may be preparing to attack Iran, while a strike in Brazil and renewed militant activity in Nigeria threaten to cut supplies.

Oil rallied to a record high of $146.90 a barrel in New York after the Jerusalem Post said Israeli war planes practiced over Iraq, adding to speculation the country is preparing to attack Iran. A Brazilian union said it plans a five-day strike on platforms that pump 80 percent of the country's crude and Nigerian militants pledged to renew attacks on oil facilities.

"We are now in uncharted territory here with the Iranian situation," Tom James, head of commodities trading at Liquid Capital Markets Ltd., said in a phone interview "People are just too scared to sell."

Crude oil for August delivery rose as much as $5.25, or 3.7 percent, to an all-time high of $146.90 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange and was trading at $146.59 at 1:46 p.m. in London.

Israeli war planes are conducting maneuvers in Iraqi airspace and using U.S. airbases in the country, possibly practicing for a strike against Iran, the newspaper reported, citing comments by Iraqi officials in local media. Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev denied the report."

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aZkEmveQew70&refer=latin_america