Stopping Iran’s progress to nuclear arms ‘is Netanyahu’s top priority’

Benjamin Netanyahu is to make Iran his top priority amid renewed signs that Israel is ready to launch a military strike to stop Tehran gaining nuclear weapons.

Officials say the Israeli prime minister is determined Iran’s progress towards a nuclear bomb must be halted within the next 12 months and will step up the pressure for action following his election win this week.

They say Israel would prefer international action — such as a US bombing or missile strike — or a diplomatic solution that leads to Iran voluntarily dismantling its nuclear programme.

But senior military and political sources say Israel is also preparing to take military action itself because of the threat a nuclear-armed Iran would pose to its future.

Mr Netanyahu told the United Nations last year that Israel had set a “red line” for Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme. Within hours of his party winning most election votes he said it would be the “first challenge” his new coalition government will face, in an early sign of an intense diplomatic offensive.

Iran responded to international pressure last year by halting its production of 20 per cent enriched uranium, the level from which conversion to weapons-grade material is relatively easy.

That followed a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency which suggested Israel’s “red line” could be hit by June. Israel remains concerned, however, that lower-level enrichment, which Iran claims is for energy use, continues and that international economic sanctions have failed to bring the nuclear programme to a halt.

Officials admit a strike on Iran would see up to 70,000 missiles fired at Israel by Tehran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. They also expect retaliatory strikes from Iran, and potential disruption to world oil supplies.

But Mark Regev, a spokesman for Mr Netanyahu, said the consequences of inaction would be even worse.

“Iran’s theocratic leadership has stated publicly that it intends to ‘wipe Israel off the map’. We take that threat seriously and refuse to live under the shadow of Iranian atomic intimidation,” he said. “We prefer a diplomatic solution that prevents Iran from achieving military nuclear capabilities, but all options must remain on the table, including the military option.”