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Batoul Wehbe Readers Number : 435
21/05/2009 Ahead of the Iranian presidential elections and few days before the Israeli large-scale maneuvers, the Iran-Israeli impasse persists.
Shortly after Iran announced it successfully test-fired a medium-range solid-fuel missile apparently capable of striking Israel and U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf region named Sijjil-2, US officials reacted by overdoing the dimensions of the test and others refused to comment.
Only when Iran tries to advance its military capabilities, Israel’s ally slams.
“The missile test-fired by Iran is the longest-range solid-propellent missile it has launched yet, raising concerns about the sophistication of Tehran's missile program”, a US government official said Wednesday.
But according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who provided the first official US confirmation of the Iranian launch, the Iranian missile had a range of 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers. "That translates to 1,200 to 1,500 miles, putting Israel, U.S. bases in the Mideast, and parts of Eastern Europe within striking distance. The information that I have read indicates that it was a successful flight test," Gates told the House Appropriations Committee nearly eight hours after it was announced by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"Obviously that's concerning," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said of the launch.
Iran's nuclear program was the top priority for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visited US President Barack Obama at the White House for the first time Monday.
US DEFENCE & INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS: NO COMMENT!
Some dozen hours after the test was reportedly conducted, numerous US defense and intelligence officials declined to even acknowledge the Iranian launch had occurred.
Some referred calls to the White House and State Department, a sign of how politically sensitive the development is to the Obama administration and its continuing efforts to deal with Iran's reported efforts to build nuclear weapons.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton discussed the subject generally, saying that a nuclear-armed Iran would spark an arms race in the Middle East.
ISRAEL: IRANIANS ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE
Israel reacted to the news of the launch by saying Europe and the United States should share Israel's goal of stopping Iran's missile program. "In terms of strategic importance, this new missile test doesn't change anything for us since the Iranians already tested a missile with a range of 1,500 kilometers, but it should worry the Europeans," Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon told Israel Radio. "If anybody had a doubt, it is clear the Iranians are playing with fire."
"The firing of the missile should serve as an alarm to Europe and the United States," he said, adding "this long-range missile is proof that the Iranians are not just a threat to Israel, but to the entire Western world."
Sajjil-2 differed from the Sajjil missile because it is equipped with a new navigation system, as well as precise and sophisticated sensors, according to Iran's official news agency.
Batoul Wehbe Readers Number : 435
21/05/2009 Ahead of the Iranian presidential elections and few days before the Israeli large-scale maneuvers, the Iran-Israeli impasse persists.
Shortly after Iran announced it successfully test-fired a medium-range solid-fuel missile apparently capable of striking Israel and U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf region named Sijjil-2, US officials reacted by overdoing the dimensions of the test and others refused to comment.
Only when Iran tries to advance its military capabilities, Israel’s ally slams.
“The missile test-fired by Iran is the longest-range solid-propellent missile it has launched yet, raising concerns about the sophistication of Tehran's missile program”, a US government official said Wednesday.
But according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who provided the first official US confirmation of the Iranian launch, the Iranian missile had a range of 2,000 to 2,500 kilometers. "That translates to 1,200 to 1,500 miles, putting Israel, U.S. bases in the Mideast, and parts of Eastern Europe within striking distance. The information that I have read indicates that it was a successful flight test," Gates told the House Appropriations Committee nearly eight hours after it was announced by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"Obviously that's concerning," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said of the launch.
Iran's nuclear program was the top priority for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when he visited US President Barack Obama at the White House for the first time Monday.
US DEFENCE & INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS: NO COMMENT!
Some dozen hours after the test was reportedly conducted, numerous US defense and intelligence officials declined to even acknowledge the Iranian launch had occurred.
Some referred calls to the White House and State Department, a sign of how politically sensitive the development is to the Obama administration and its continuing efforts to deal with Iran's reported efforts to build nuclear weapons.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton discussed the subject generally, saying that a nuclear-armed Iran would spark an arms race in the Middle East.
ISRAEL: IRANIANS ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE
Israel reacted to the news of the launch by saying Europe and the United States should share Israel's goal of stopping Iran's missile program. "In terms of strategic importance, this new missile test doesn't change anything for us since the Iranians already tested a missile with a range of 1,500 kilometers, but it should worry the Europeans," Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon told Israel Radio. "If anybody had a doubt, it is clear the Iranians are playing with fire."
"The firing of the missile should serve as an alarm to Europe and the United States," he said, adding "this long-range missile is proof that the Iranians are not just a threat to Israel, but to the entire Western world."
Sajjil-2 differed from the Sajjil missile because it is equipped with a new navigation system, as well as precise and sophisticated sensors, according to Iran's official news agency.
US to Fully Fund Israeli Arrow 3 Missile ProgramReaders Number : 226
21/05/2009 Israel has received assurances from Washington about US full funding for the development and production of the Arrow 3 anti-missile system.
The costly Arrow (Hetz in Hebrew) interceptor project was launched two decades ago allegedly to counter "threats posed by Iran".
The American decision was revealed during a session of the Strategic Dialogue that Defense Ministry director-general Pinchas Buhris held with his US counterparts in Washington.
Israel has been concerned that the US - which has supported the Arrow project since its inception over 20 years ago - would end the funding due to major cuts made to the American defense budget by Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The development costs for the coming year will likely reach some $100 million.
President Obama's administration has recently proposed a bill integrating defense funding for Israel in the 2010 budget. The funding is currently set at $2.775 billion.
Israel and the United States are also developing David's Sling - a missile defense system for medium-range missile with a range between 70 and 250 km. The Arrow 3 will be a longer-range version of the Arrow defense system currently in the Israeli occupation operation. It will be capable of intercepting incoming enemy missiles at higher altitudes and farther away from Israel.
On April 7, Israel tested the system, with an Arrow intercepting and destroying a ballistic missile similar to Iran's Shahab-3.
Later this year, the IAF will hold an unprecedented, massive exercise with the US military to test three different ballistic missile defense systems, the Israeli-made Arrow and the American THAAD and Aegis, which will be brought to Israel for the exercise. The drill, which will span several days, is called Turning point 3.
Lieberman: Israel, US on 'Same Page' Regarding Iran
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