Israel To Hold Nationwide Nuclear Attack Drill

During the 1991 Gulf War, Israeli citizens were equipped with gas masks out of fear of a chemical attack. None of the missiles fired from Iraq against Israel were equipped with chemical warheads.

by Staff Writers
Jerusalem (AFP) Feb 26, 2007
Israel will next month stage its first-ever nationwide drill simulating a nuclear and chemical missile attack on its cities, rescue services said Monday. The exercise was initiated by the army's homefront corps in the wake of last summer's war in Lebanon and Iran's calls for the destruction of the Jewish state and its controversial nuclear programme. Israel suspects is Iran is aiming to develop an atomic bomb, but Tehran insists its programme is for civilian energy purposes.

The main scenarios which will be simulated are a massive rocket attack on cities as well as a "conventional and non-conventional missile attack," Magen David Adom rescue services spokesman Yerucham Mandola told AFP.

During the drill -- which will include army rescue forces, police, medical and firefighting services -- air-raid sirens may be sounded across the entire country.

The Hezbollah militia fired over 4,000 rockets against northern Israel during the war last summer, killing more than 40 civilians and paralysing the region's industry and economy.

During the 1991 Gulf War, Israeli citizens were equipped with gas masks out of fear of a chemical attack. None of the missiles fired from Iraq against Israel were equipped with chemical warheads.

earlier related report
Stand-off with Iran like 'height of the Cold War': British naval officer
London (AFP) Feb 26 - The West's stand-off with Iran over its contested nuclear programme is like "the height of the Cold War", Britain's most senior naval officer said in an interview with The Daily Telegraph published on Monday.

Commodore Keith Winstanley's comments come ahead of a meeting of the UN Security Council's five permanent members plus Germany, who will discuss more possible punitive measures against Iran, after imposing sanctions on the country late last year.

"There are extra challenges facing us," Winstanley told the newspaper.

"There have been a series of Iranian exercises in the northern Gulf to the point that it's a bit like with the Russians at the height of the Cold War.

"We just have to hope that's not a recipe for miscalculation," he was quoted as saying by the Telegraph.

On Sunday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad defied Western threats to impose more sanctions, saying that Iran's atomic drive was like a "train with no brakes".

Winstanley told the newspaper that Britain has nearly doubled its naval deployments in the region since October, saying: "If you look at the UK component we have almost doubled it ... Most of these ships are here on training missions but there is no doubt that we could use the warfighting capabilities they possess."

Source: Agence France-Presse

Email This Article

NUKEWARS

Japan Urges North Korea To Come Clean On Uranium

Tokyo (AFP) Feb 26, 2007
Japan urged North Korea Monday to come clean on its suspected secret atomic programme based on enriched uranium after reaching a breakthrough nuclear deal at six-nation talks. The February 13 agreement, which initially binds North Korea to shut key nuclear facilities in exchange for energy aid, requires Pyongyang to produce a list of all nuclear programmes.

SUPERPOWERS The Russia That Can Say No China Military Build-Up Out Of Keeping With Peaceful Aim US On Charm Offensive To Avoid Clash With Russia Putin Warns Against Flouting International Law For Own Interests	NUKEWARS Japan Urges North Korea To Come Clean On Uranium Israel To Hold Nationwide Nuclear Attack Drill Work Begins On New Iran Resolution As Old Hands Warn Of Escalation North Korean Nuclear Envoys Softened Weapons Stance
MISSILE NEWS Rumsfeld's Missile Bungle Pakistan Successfully Tests Nuclear-Capable Missile Iran Launches War Games With Missile Tests Putin Denies Passing Missile Technology To Iran	MISSILE DEFENSE Russian Military-Industrial Commission To View Fifth Generation Air-Defense System US Missile Shield Talks Could Take Several Years US Says Missile Shield In Europe Could Evolve In Future BMD Can Backfire On Europe
AEROSPACE Lockheed Martin And FAA Reach Significant Milestone In Transformation Of Flight Services Can UABC Take Russian Aircraft-Makers Out Of Spin Superjet To Be Tested For Strength Anger As Britons Face Air Tax Hike	UAV NEWS Phase 2 Testing Completed For Centralized Controller For Unmanned Air And Ground Systems Killerbee UAV Flies At Camp Pendleton UAV Tested For US Border Security Iran Claims New Stealth Drone That Can Attack US Gulf Fleet
IRAQ WARS The Other Gulf War Trouble In The Garden Of Eden Iraqi Police In Militias General Discusses Chlorine Bombs, Helicopter Shoot-downs	MILTECH Navy Awards Two Contracts For Airborne Low Frequency Sonar System First Joint Precision Airdrop A Success In Iraq Test Pentagon Calls Off Plans For Huge Explosion In Desert Lockheed Martin Compact Kinetic Energy Missile Successful In Final Flight Test

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement