Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu acted Thursday, April 26, to correct the damaging impression of divided and conflicting perceptions of the Iranian nuclear threat left by statements delivered in the last two days by himself and Defense Minster Ehud Barak. Israel’s chief of staff Gen. Benny Gantz rallied to the task. He commented Thursday that “other countries have readied their armed forces for a potential strike against Iran’s nuclear sites to keep Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.”

Until now, Israeli leaders talked about a final decision to go to war on Iran’s nuclear bomb program in terms of months. This timeline is suddenly shrinking.  DEBKA-Net-Weekly in its latest issue this week explains what is behind this change and what drove Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz to state: "In principle, we are ready to act," when asked if the IDF was ready to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. Don’t miss these insights into Israel’s pressing calculus on Iran.

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Dep. Chief of the Iran's Revolutionary Guards Gen. Hossein Salami Thursday, Dec. 29, warned: "The United States is in no position to tell Tehran what to do in the Strait of Hormuz. Any threat will be responded [to] by threat." Earlier, a US air carrier entered the Sea of Oman where Iran is conducting a big naval drill.  In Israel, chief of staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz spoke of the mounting potential of a regional conflict, adding Israel could not afford to stay on the defensive.

The snap nomination of OC Southern Command Maj. Gen, Yoav Galant as Israel's 20th chief of staff was necessary - not just to dispel the climate of intrigue among competing generals, but to pull the high command together in view of the war preparations gathering momentum in Tehran, Damascus, Beirut - and even in al Qaeda in Yemen. 
Sunday, Iran unveiled a 1,000-kilometer drone armed with four cruise missiles. The Syrian army is on the ready.