THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD: IRAN is developing a missile capable of hitting the east coast of the US, according to an Israeli government minister, intensifying western anxiety over the regime's nuclear ambitions.
The fresh alert was further heightened by reports that the US Defence Secretary, Leon Panetta, believes a pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities by Israel looms likely and could come as soon as April.
The increasingly murky issue of Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities is a prime focus of US foreign policy deliberations. President Barack Obama insisted in last month's State of the Union address that he would "take no options off the table" in preventing Iran from developing a nuclear arsenal.
But contrary to assertions that the chief threat was to Iran's near-neighbour, Israel's Minister for Strategic Affairs, Moshe Yaalon, said the missile project was "aimed at America, not us". » | Simon Mann | Saturday, February 04, 2012
