Israel Sees 'Opportunity' For Attacking Iran Nuke Sites With Syria Knocked Out

With Syria burning and no longer a threat, Israel's military said it is currently conducting preparations for "potential strikes" on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Its air force has already been carrying out literally hundreds of raids on Syrian Army bases in the wake of Bashar al-Assad's overthrow. Israel has complete domination of Syria's skies, and given that Assad's anti-air defense missile systems are no longer an issue, this would make it much easier to strike the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to a Thursday report in The Times of Israel, the IDF "believes that following the weakening of Iranian proxy groups in the Middle East and the dramatic fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria, there is an opportunity to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, military officials said Thursday."

"The Israeli Air Force has therefore continued to increase its readiness and preparations for such potential strikes in Iran," the report states.

"The IDF also believes that Iran — isolated after the fall of the Assad regime and the weakening of its main proxy group Hezbollah in Lebanon — may push ahead further with its nuclear program and develop a bomb as it scrambles to replace its deterrence," it adds.

Iran has long maintained it develops only peaceful nuclear energy, and there's little doubt that after the dramatic events unfolding in Syria, and with Hezbollah top leadership largely decimated, Tehran finds itself on a back foot. 

Some Israeli and Western officials believe that all of this will make Iranian leaders more desperate to ensure they have a final and ultimate defense against any threats (as in rapidly developing a nuke).

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have said in a new statement, "The Syrian air defense array is one of the strongest in the Middle East and the blow caused to it is a significant achievement for the Air Force’s superiority in the region."

Any potential preemptive Israeli attack directly on Iran would however unleash more immense anti-Netanyahu controversy in Israel, at a moment he's already under fire by hostage victims' families for his handling of Gaza.

Israel and Hezbollah just achieved a long hoped-for ceasefire in Lebanon, and any attacks on Iran could also open up that front again, at a moment Israel is trying for the safe return of its citizens to northern towns and settlements, which the ceasefire is aimed to achieve.