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Leaked Israeli drill seen as U.S. pressure on Iran Jeffrey Heller A U.S. leak of an Israeli air exercise reported to be practice for possible bombing of Iran's nuclear sites was seen in Israel on Sunday as a deliberate move to increase pressure on Tehran to halt sensitive atomic work. "When the diplomacy of economic and political pressure fails to produce results, a shift is made to gunboat diplomacy," wrote Alex Fishman, military affairs correspondent of Israel's biggest newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth. "As the Iranian regime discusses the European Union representative's most recent offer to halt its nuclear program in exchange for extensive benefits, the Americans opted to add a bit more pressure in the shape of Israel's air force," he said.
(Article continues below) Citing unidentified Pentagon sources, the New York Times said on Friday more than 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 jets took part in a long-range Mediterranean exercise this month that appeared to be a rehearsal for real missions over Iran. Israel did not confirm the reported exercise had taken place. But officials said such drills have been commonplace at least since 2005. Commentator Amir Rappaport, writing in Israel's Maariv daily, said it was likely the Pentagon leak was an attempt "to deter Iran and increase pressure on it to cooperate" with international nuclear watchdogs.
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