Israel Has Three Operational Plans to Neutralize Iran’s Nuclear Program: Outgoing Army Chief
In a series of farewell interviews, Israel’s outgoing Army Chief Aviv Kochavi revealed that Israel has developed three operational plans to attack Iran to neutralize its nuclear program. These plans extend from a retaliatory strike on Iran that would be unrelated to the nuclear issue, to the taking out of the Iranian nuclear installations and auxiliary sites in that project. In the event of an escalation, these plans also include targeting military sites and other assets.
In the days leading up to his replacement by Herzi Halevi, Kochavi stated that Iran has an active weapons team that is working at a slow pace, in violation of the nuclear deal. He added that Iran currently has enough fissile material for the production of four bombs using highly enriched uranium. This prompted Israel to come up with different plans to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons. He also emphasized that these plans are not just a precautionary measure, but also an active strategy to deal with the threat of Iran’s nuclear program.
Kochavi also warned against political interference in the military and expressed concerns about the coalition agreements signed by the new government that put the Civil Administration in the West Bank and the Military Rabbinate under civilian responsibility. He emphasized the importance of having a single chain of command in the military to ensure accountability and success in carrying out missions.
He said that in the military, the supreme command orders, which have been given the status of a law and signed by the defence minister, stipulate that the chief of staff appoints officers that hold the rank of colonel or higher, including Major Generals. He emphasized that this should not change, as it is essential to maintain the proper chain of command and avoid conflicting orders.
He also emphasized that every theatre has only one commander at every given moment, and all the forces report to him; he is responsible for carrying out the mission and he will have to be held accountable for its success or failure.
