Israel approves $1.5bn budget to enhance Air Force ability to strike Iran's nuclear sites

In an attempt to prepare its military for a potential strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, Israel approved a budget of roughly $1.5 billion (5 billion Israeli New Shekels), The Times of Israel reported, citing a local television report.

Over $930,000 (3 billion ILS) from the previous budget is said to be included in the $1.5 billion budget, as well as more than $620,000 (2 billion ILS) from the government's next budget, which is likely to be voted in November.

The report comes after the US Air Force said that its new bunker buster, the GBU-72 Advanced 5K Penetrator, had successfully completed a test. The GBU-72 is designed to be carried by a fighter jet or a heavy bomber, and Israel currently lacks bombers capable of carrying massive bunker busters, The Times of Israel reported. Instead, a smaller bunker buster bomb, the GBU-28, was surreptitiously delivered to Israel in 2009, despite the fact that it was unlikely to penetrate Iran's Fordow plant, buried deep behind a mountain.

Israel has 'greatly expedited' preparations for military action

The US test was most likely based on Israel's experience in demolishing Hamas' underground tunnel network in Gaza during the fighting in May. According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi, Israel has "greatly expedited" preparations for military action against Iran's nuclear programme. Talking to Walla News, Kochavi indicated that a significant portion of the previously agreed-upon increase in the defence budget was set aside for this reason.

According to Israeli media, Kohavi also indicated in January that the IDF was drafting new operational plans for a major military strike, and in August, he stated that Iran's nuclear progress has prompted the IDF to speed up its operational preparations with a new budget. In late September, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told the United Nations General Assembly that Iran's nuclear programme has reached a watershed moment, and so has their tolerance.

Iran says nuclear programme not intended for military use

The US government had previously stated that it is still pursuing a joint US-Iranian return to compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which the US unilaterally withdrew from under then-President Donald Trump, but that the talks could not and would not go on indefinitely.

Iran began to progressively raise the volume of its nuclear programme after the United States abandoned the 2015 nuclear deal. However, Iran has time and again stated that its nuclear programme is not intended for military use.

(Image: AP)