There is no doubt that the White House is concerned over reports that Israel is planning a military operation against Iran, apparently launching such an attack without consulting with President Barak Obama ahead of the operation.

While America and Israel continue releasing canned statements including “at this stage we do not rule out any options regarding Iran”, American has indicated exercising the military option is not going to take place anytime soon. In Jerusalem, senior leaders have been quieter and America’s intelligence community fears an Israeli military assault is imminent. This is backed by a report in the Wall Street Journal, which sites some of the American concerns, not the least surrounds 15,000 US troops and personnel stationed in Iraq, Iran’s neighbor.

Many are speculating that mysterious explosions in Iran over recent weeks are the work of Israeli commandos, laying the groundwork for an aerial assault. In Jerusalem, state leaders are not commenting on these allegations.

Heading to Israel this week is America’s Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, General Martin E. Dempsey. The America military commander is already set to meet with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. It is clear the senior commander is armed with White House threats against such an attack, which American officials fear may compromise US regional interests.

While the international community appears satisfied with American’s lead regarding increased sanctions against Iran, Israel is more concerned based on its own intelligence reports, which basically suggest the situation regarding Tehran’s nuclear enrichment program is far more urgent than Washington wishes to admit to and while for America and others a nuclear Iran is problematic, in Israel such a reality is far more serious.

Dempsey’s predecessor, Admiral Mullen warned against an Israeli offensive against Iran a number of times, stating an Israeli offensive against Tehran would plummet the region into turmoil and such a move is not advised at this time.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)