Israeli minister warns of 30-day war with Iran

A strike on Iran’s nuclear sites would spark a 30-day war with missile attacks on Israel's cities and as many as 500 dead, according to the Israeli minister responsible for preparing home defences.


Matan Vilnai, who is stepping down as home front defence minister to become ambassador to China, said the country was “ready as never before”.


“The assessments are for a war that will last 30 days on a number of fronts,” he told the Maariv newspaper.


“It could be that there will be less fatalities, but it could be there will be more, that is the scenario that we are preparing for according to the best experts.”


Speculation is growing that Israel is planning a unilateral attack on Iran’snuclear programme - or that it is using the question to increase pressure on Barack Obama to launch an American strike.


Western governments share the fears about Iran’s nuclear ambitions but oppose military action and want to give more time to diplomacy.

And in Israel, critics have warned that the country is not ready for the promised Iranian retaliation, pointing to a shortage of gas masks, for example.

Mr Vilnai declined to say whether he thought Israel should take military action against Iran, but warned any such decision required serious consideration.

“The only question is if a clash is necessary. War is something that is better to postpone and weigh carefully,” he said.

Mr Vilnai is to be replaced by Avi Dichter, a former internal security minister and ex-head of the country’s Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency.