Israel Has New Intel on Iran Nukes

Israeli intelligence has achieved a breakthrough regarding Iran’s nuclear program, London’s Sunday Times reported.

Mossad chief Meir Dagan is expected to brief John Scarlett, head of the British intelligence agency M16, about the new development during a visit to Israel later this month.

There has been concern in Israel that Iran’s nuclear program is far more advanced than indicated by a declassified assessment by the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate last December, which reported that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons development program in late 2003.

A source quoted by The Times claimed that the new information was “on a par with” intelligence that led Israel to destroy a partly constructed nuclear reactor in Syria last September.

Israeli officials believe the U.S. will revise its analysis of the Iranian program.

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni briefed British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Israel’s findings last week, and Israeli intelligence officers met with American officials in Washington as well.

The Times observed: “It is thought that if Israel were considering military action against Iran over its nuclear program, it would want to ensure it had diplomatic support in London and Washington because of the danger of triggering a wider Middle East conflict.”