Israeli Missile Could Target Iran With Nukes

An Israeli test of a new missile could mean the Jewish state has developed a long-range strike capability that would increase its options for striking Iran in the event of a conflict. It is unclear whether or not the new missile, believed to be named the Jericho-3, is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Previous versions of the Jericho missile developed by the Israeli Defense Forces are already believed to be capable of delivering nuclear payloads to targets throughout the Middle East, and it is likely that this missile is no different.

A central tenet of Israeli Defense Force doctrine, according to the Jewish Virtual Library of the American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, is to have conflict occur outside of Israeli territory if possible by transferring the battle to the opponent's land. Long-range missile capabilities allow Israel to do just that. In previous conflicts Israel has moved quickly to ensure fighting took place outside its borders. In the 1967 six day war, Israel launched a preemptive attack against Egyptian forces massed along its border, and Israeli ground forces quickly moved into Lebanon in the summer of 2006 in response to rocket attacks by the terrorist group Hezbollah.

The question of nuclear capability on Israel's new missile is likely to remain clouded in mystery for some time. Israel has never admitted to possessing nuclear weapons, although much of the world has acknowledged the Jewish state's nuclear capability. The development of a new nuclear capable long-range missile is likely in response to an announcement by Iran, one of Israel's most likely adversaries, late last year that it had developed a new ballistic missile with a range of more than 1,200 miles. Such a capability would allow Tehran to fire long-range missiles capable of striking Israeli territory.

Iran has invested a lot of money and effort into its ballistic missile program, with the Shahab-3 missile being the most capable platform demonstrated to outside nations. A long-range missile capability for Iran is worrisome to Israel, which has been the subject of inflammatory rhetoric from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. So far there is no evidence that Iran has developed a long-range ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. Iran asserts that it has no nuclear weapons program, a claim supported by a recent U.S. National Intelligence Estimate that concluded Iran halted such a program more than four years ago.

While Iran has no demonstrated nuclear missile capability, GlobalSecurity.org, a defense think tank, says Tehran developed a chemical missile capability to retaliate for Iraqi chemical attacks during the Iran-Iraq war. The development of a new missile, possibly capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, by Israel raises the stakes in an already volatile region.

Sources: American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, GlobalSecurity.org