Pre-Emptive Strike: Kali Ini Giliran Iran Pula

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Possibility of Pre-Emptive Strike against Israel – IRGC Missile Commander

A day after IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali “Aziz” Jafari warned that the war with Israel is now inevitable; his general in command of IRGC’s missile force said Iran could launch a pre-emptive strike if Israel prepares to attack Iran.

“In circumstances in which they (the Israelis) have prepared everything for an attack, it is possible that we will make a pre-emptive attack. But we do not see this at the moment,” Brig. Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, IRGC Missile Force commander, told Iran’s state-run Arabic-language TV channel Al-Alam on Sunday.

Gen. Hajizadeh added that should Israel and Iran engage militarily, “nothing is predictable… and it will turn into World War III.” Hajizadeh also said that Iran will deem any Israeli strike to be conducted with US authorization.

“Whether the Zionist regime (Israel) attacks with or without U.S. knowledge, then we will definitely attack U.S. bases in Bahrain, Qatar and Afghanistan," warned Gen. Hajizadeh.

On Saturday, the IRGC commander said war between Iran and Israel “will occur,” although not clear “where and when.” The surprising statement by Gen. Jafari was the first by any senior official in Iran; civilian or military, saying the war with Israel was inevitable. Today’s statement by his missile force commander about the possibility of a pre-emptive strike went even further and probably answered questions about the “where” in Jafari’s statement.

Also on Sunday, IRGC Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami told Fars News Agency that Iran's “defensive strategy is based on the assumption that we will engage in a war, a massive battle against a global coalition led by the US.” But he added that Iran will not start the war: “We will not start a war. But if someone wages war against us, we will launch continuous offensives.”