Middle East Monitor / January 3, 2023
The Israeli Ministry of Defence yesterday requested a 17 per cent increase in its budget to bolster preparations for a possible strike on Iran’s nuclear weapons, the Israeli Public Broadcaster Kan reported quoting unnamed security sources.
According to the sources, the ministry “has requested an unusual increase of ten billion shekels ($2.8 billion) for its budget for the current and next years as part of an effort to boost preparations for a potential strike on Iran’s nuclear program, and to counteract the erosion of existing funds due to inflation.”
However, Kan quoted prominent economic sources as saying that the request “is exaggerated to the extent that it is unrealistic.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had set three goals for his government, including preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
During 2022, several Israeli officials revealed that the army is preparing for the possibility of a military strike on Iran if Tehran reaches the threshold of acquiring nuclear weapons.
