Israel doesn't rule out attacking Iran's nuclear weapons facilities India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

Israel has rejected reports which suggested that it has ruled out using military power to counter Iran's nuclear weapon programme. Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said Israel can not guarantee it will not strike Iran. It may be noted that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had recently claimed that President Shimon Peres has assured him that his country would not strike Iran even amid growing concerns regarding the Islamic republic going nuclear. "I don't think that, with all due respect, the Russian president is authorized to speak for Israel and, certainly, we have not taken any option off the table," Sky news quoted Ayalon. While Iran has been saying that its nuclear programme is solely for peaceful purposes and that the US is falsely accusing it of trying to develop atomic weapons, Israel maintains that the western countries should take firm steps to stop Tehran from pursuing its nuke goals. The Israeli air force have reportedly carried out a number of drills involving scores of aircraft rehearsing for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Israel has initiated air strikes against Iran in the past, when it destroyed the latter's Osirak reactor in 1981.