Israel may not be able to take down Iran’s nuclear sites on its own

Israel is turning its guns against Hezbollah having spent a year attempting to destroy Hamas, another Iranian ally, after it launched devastating terror attacks in Israel on October 7, 2023.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran “made a big mistake” and would “pay for it.” Experts predict an imminent response and told BI it could vary from targeted assassinations to the destruction of Iranian energy facilities.

Oil prices rose for a fourth day on Friday, fueled by speculation that the growing conflict could limit production. Brent crude futures rose as much as 1.8% earlier on Friday and US futures were up 0.6% at $74.20, according to Reuters.

A hit on Iran’s nuclear facilities could, however, create far graver consequences, potentially including a race by Iran to build a nuclear weapon.

For its part, Iran maintains that its nuclear activities are peaceful and that it has no plans to develop nuclear weapons.

However, it has faced various sanctions from the EU, US, and UN for violating treaties on nuclear advancement, and its economy has suffered as a result.

Filipo Dionigi, an expert on international relations at the University of Bristol in the UK, told BI that despite Biden’s words Wednesday, the US could still decide to support Israel if it decided to go ahead with a strike.

In a recent report, Savill highlighted the growing threat of regional escalation.

“The current situation serves as a sobering reminder of the delicate balance between the deterrent power and destabilizing impact that even a near-threshold nuclear capability can provide,” he said.