Israeli general who helped destroy Iraq, Syria nuclear plants says stopping Iran's program is much harder

Meetings designed to return both Iran and the United States to a form of the nuclear deal signed in 2015, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, restarted in Austria this week.

While Israel is not a part of the talks, it is a main player in the drama that could quickly escalate.

Israel, along with its Arab allies including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia want the U.S. to increase the pressure on Iran by strengthening the JCPOA to include terrorism, missile development and what they call “Iran’s expansionism” throughout the Middle East.

Iran and Israel have been engaged in a shadow war that has intensified in the last month.  An explosion disrupted one of Iran’s nuclear power centers in Natanz; one of Iran’s spy ships was hit with an explosive device in the Red Sea; and at least two Israeli owned cargo ships have been targeted.

Iran’s decision to increase uranium enrichment came after the explosion at Natanz, which the Islamic Republic has blamed on Israel.

Israel has vowed to destroy Iran’s nuclear program if all else fails, and they have experience in that arena.

Forty years ago in June 1981, eight Israeli F-16s took off, flew over the Red Sea, straddled the Jordanian – Saudi border, and dropped their bombs on Iraq’s nuclear power plant in Osirak days before it was set to go hot.  It was called Operation Opera and one of the pilots was Gen. Amos Yadlin. 

In 2007, Yadlin, while serving as the head of military intelligence for the Israeli army, helped design a second operation.  This one targeted Syria’s secret nuclear power plant.  Operation Orchard was also a success — the target was completely destroyed.